This is Why the 'Dirty Game' Over Syria Has Not Ended

The Ahrar-ash Sham rebel group voiced opposition to the ceasefire regime in Syria because it was influenced by forces which are hostile to a peaceful settlement in Syria, Alexei Pushkov, a member of Russia's Federation Council, stated.

Earlier it was reported that Syrian rebel group Ahrar ash-Sham stated that it has doubts over the Russia-Turkey-backed agreement on the truce in Syria, thus, explaining why it did not sign the deal.

"Being influenced by forces and countries which are hostile to the peaceful settlement in Syria, Ahrar ash-Sham opposed the ceasefire regime. The dirty game around Syria is not over," the Russian senator wrote on Twitter.

Под влиянием сил и стран, враждебных мирному процессу в Сирии, Ахрар аш-Шам выступила пр. перемирия. Грязная игра вокруг Сирии не закончена.

— Алексей Пушков (@Alexey_Pushkov) 31 декабря 2016 г.

​On Thursday, the Russian Defense Ministry published a list of armed groups in Syria that have joined the ceasefire agreement. This list includes Ahrar ash-Sham and Jaysh al-Islam rebel groups, which have been repeatedly accused of joining forces with the al-Nusra Front terrorist group, which renamed itself after allegedly breaking ties with its al-Qaeda affiliate in Syria.

Earlier it was reported that al-Nusra Front terrorists and Ahrar ash-Sham militants shelled Syrian government forces in Aleppo.

Russian President Vladimir Putin announced Thursday that the Syrian government and armed opposition groups had reached an agreement on a ceasefire on Syrian territory and on readiness to start peace talks.

Russia and Turkey serve as guarantors of the deal, which paves the way for negotiations between the warring parties.

In April, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said that Syrian opposition groups Ahrar ash-Sham and Jaysh al-Islam shared the same ideology as Daesh terrorists.

Ahrar ash-Sham and Jaysh al-Islam groups, which are included in the Syrian opposition's Riyadh-backed High Negotiations Committee (HNC), have been repeatedly accused of continuation of hostilities in war-torn Syria in violation of the ceasefire mediated by Russia and the United States since February.