WASHINGTON (Sputnik) — On Tuesday, Russia has requested to add the two terrorist groups operating in Syria to the UN sanctions list that already contains the Daesh and al-Qaeda. Saudi-backed High Negotiations Committee (HNC) of the Syrian opposition includes representatives of both militant groups.
“No, we think that would have damaging consequences to the cessation, and frankly at the momemt when we try to de-escalate the situation on the ground,” Toner said. “They are frankly right now party to the cessation of hostilities, so we don’t want to see that happen.”
If the Russian move is supported by other UN Security Council members, airstrikes against Ahrar ash-Sham and Jaish al-Islam will be allowed by the agreement on the cessation of hostilities, as the truce that came into effect in Syria on February 27 excludes terrorist organizations.
Last week, the HNC suspended participation in the latest round of intra-Syrian talks in Geneva over the continuous fighting in Syria, Aleppo in particular, blaming the Syrian government for the violence.
Syria has been mired in civil war since 2011, with government forces fighting numerous opposition groups, including the Western-backed allegedly moderate factions, as well as terrorist formations.
