Damascus, Moscow in Reconciliation Talks With Syrian Opposition

According to Syrian President Bashar Assad, Moscow's cooperation with the Syrian opposition is the most effective way to improve the situation.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — Damascus, along with Moscow, has been engaged in contact with the Syrian armed opposition groups in order to ensure the country's reconciliation, Syrian President Bashar Assad said on Sunday.

"If you want to make reconciliations, local reconciliations, you want to talk to the people who have the armaments. So, we dealt with them, and there’s cooperation between the Syrians and the Russians regarding this kind of reconciliation," Assad said in an interview published by the Syrian SANA news agency.

Damascus encourages Moscow's cooperation with the Syrian rebels, because "this is the most effective way to make the situation better and to reach peace in the future," Assad stressed.

Syria has been in a state of civil war since 2011, with government forces battling against the so-called moderate opposition and various extremist groups, including the IS militant group, and the Nusra Front.

Russia has been assisting both the government and civilians in the war-torn Syria. Since September 30, Moscow has been conducting precision airstrikes at terrorists positions in Syria at the request Assad.

Moscow served as a host city for two rounds of talks between the Syrian leadership and the country's opposition, and has been holding intensive talks and meetings with a broad range of Syrian opposition factions.