Kerry: US proposes creating two separate zones of operations in Syria with Russia
In an interview with the New York Times, US Secretary of State John Kerry said that it is important to establish two zones of “eligible military operations” in Syria to fight against terrorists and to monitor the implementation of the ceasefire.
Kerry noted that the US is most concerned about the situation in the north of Syria where Kurds, moderate opposition forces, Syrian government forces, the al-Nusra Front, and the so-called Islamic State are all active.
According to Kerry, military reinforcement near Aleppo was discussed by Barack Obama and Vladimir Putin on Monday. It was stated on the White House website that Obama stressed the importance of exerting pressure on Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.
Kerry stated in the interview that some regions in Aleppo are controlled by al-Nusra Front, which gives government forces a reason to attack the city. At the same time, other opposition groups in the region have agreed to the ceasefire.
“It was harder to separate them than we thought… And there’s a Russian impatience and a regime impatience with the terrorists who are behaving like terrorists and laying siege to places on their side and killing people,” Kerry said.
The Secretary of State noted that the US and Russia have agreed to a new 24 hour monitoring system.
“We’ve even proposed drawing a line, an absolute line, and saying, ‘You don’t go over there, we don’t go over here, and anything in between is fair game.’ And they are considering that, and I think we will get there in the next week or so,” Kerry told the New York Times.
Aleppo is currently divided between the government-controlled sector in the western part of the city and a section controlled by terrorists and rebels in the eastern part.