- 30 Dec 2016 13:00
#14756434
http://eng.mil.ru/en/news_page/country/more.htm?id=12107227
Note that this time the Russian FM published a rather short list of armed groups that are party to the new ceasefire. Presumably, the reason why the list is so short is because it doesn't include the factions which have actually more or less abided by the previous ceasefire arranged between US and Russia? Though that couldn't explain all of it, because most of the factions which participated in the Aleppo battle seem to be missing, for example.
Either way, according to the list, Jaish al-Islam and Ahrar al-Sham have become members of the "moderate opposition", though previously Russia tried to exclude them. Of course, this no doubt has a lot to do with the change of stance of these factions' international benefactors. If Turkey is no longer a "backstabbing ISIS-supporting warmongering extremist", as Russia would have had it just 6 months ago, then neither is Ahrar al-Sham, for example. However, operations in East Ghouta appear to be continuing despite the fact that Jaish al Islam is on the list, so I'm not sure how that's supposed to work.
Note that this time the Russian FM published a rather short list of armed groups that are party to the new ceasefire. Presumably, the reason why the list is so short is because it doesn't include the factions which have actually more or less abided by the previous ceasefire arranged between US and Russia? Though that couldn't explain all of it, because most of the factions which participated in the Aleppo battle seem to be missing, for example.
Either way, according to the list, Jaish al-Islam and Ahrar al-Sham have become members of the "moderate opposition", though previously Russia tried to exclude them. Of course, this no doubt has a lot to do with the change of stance of these factions' international benefactors. If Turkey is no longer a "backstabbing ISIS-supporting warmongering extremist", as Russia would have had it just 6 months ago, then neither is Ahrar al-Sham, for example. However, operations in East Ghouta appear to be continuing despite the fact that Jaish al Islam is on the list, so I'm not sure how that's supposed to work.