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| Aid convoys set to reach besieged areas of Syria | Aid convoys set to reach besieged areas of Syria |
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| CAIRO — Aid convoys were preparing to leave for besieged areas of Syria from the country's capital, Damascus, reports said on Wednesday, in what would mark the first step toward securing a temporary ceasefire scheduled for later this week. | CAIRO — Aid convoys were preparing to leave for besieged areas of Syria from the country's capital, Damascus, reports said on Wednesday, in what would mark the first step toward securing a temporary ceasefire scheduled for later this week. |
| The Syrian Red Crescent said 100 truckloads of humanitarian supplies were set to take off to seven areas of Syria where civilians have been trapped by government or armed forces, Reuters reported. The move comes a day after the United Nations’ top Syria envoy, Staffan de Mistura, traveled to Damascus to push for “unhindered” humanitarian access, a U.N. spokesperson said. | The Syrian Red Crescent said 100 truckloads of humanitarian supplies were set to take off to seven areas of Syria where civilians have been trapped by government or armed forces, Reuters reported. The move comes a day after the United Nations’ top Syria envoy, Staffan de Mistura, traveled to Damascus to push for “unhindered” humanitarian access, a U.N. spokesperson said. |
| The areas set to receive aid include Madaya, Zabadani, and Mudhamiya near Damascus, and Foua and Kefraya in Idlib province in the country’s north. The areas near Damascus are under siege by pro-government forces, while Syrian rebels have surrounded the two villages in Idlib. Madaya gained worldwide attention in January after dozens of people died of starvation. Aid would also be delivered by air to the city of Deir al-Zour in the east, currently encircled by Islamic State militants, according to a statement from the 17-member International Syria Support Group. | |
| The fighting in Syria’s grinding, five-year-long war has intensified in the country since Syrian government forces — including Iraqi and Iranian fighters backed by Russia — advanced on rebel positions in the north this month. | The fighting in Syria’s grinding, five-year-long war has intensified in the country since Syrian government forces — including Iraqi and Iranian fighters backed by Russia — advanced on rebel positions in the north this month. |
| Russia intervened in the five-year-old conflict to prevent its ally, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, from being toppled by rebels. And the Syrian government’s gains came as Russia and the United States met in Geneva for peace talks that swiftly collapsed. | |
| Russia’s intervention has also flared tensions with Turkey, whose government wants to prevent Syrian Kurds from seizing territory on the Turkish border. Turkey’s Deputy Prime Minister on Wednesday said the country wanted to establish a “secure zone” inside Syria to prevent “change in the demographic structure in the area,” Turkish media reported. | |
| De Mistura is also working to bring stakeholders back to the table for a new round of talks starting Feb. 25. | |
| “We are witnessing a degradation on the ground that cannot wait,” U.N. spokesman Ahmad Fawzi said Tuesday in Geneva. | |
| Russia on Tuesday denied earlier reports that itswarplanes carried out a deadly strike on a hospital in northern Syria the previous day, complicating efforts to broker a cease-fire as the UnitedNations’ top Syria envoy arrived in Damascus to push for greater humanitarian access. | Russia on Tuesday denied earlier reports that itswarplanes carried out a deadly strike on a hospital in northern Syria the previous day, complicating efforts to broker a cease-fire as the UnitedNations’ top Syria envoy arrived in Damascus to push for greater humanitarian access. |
| Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov called the reports that Russian planes had struck the hospital “unfounded accusations” and pointed to a statement from Syria’s ambassador to Russia that U.S. warplanes were responsible. The United States is conducting airstrikes in Syria against suspected Islamic State targets. | Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov called the reports that Russian planes had struck the hospital “unfounded accusations” and pointed to a statement from Syria’s ambassador to Russia that U.S. warplanes were responsible. The United States is conducting airstrikes in Syria against suspected Islamic State targets. |
| U.S. planes were not flying in the region, nor were those of any U.S. partners, Pentagon spokesman Peter Cook said Tuesday. State Department spokesman Mark Toner blamed Russia for the airstrikes. | U.S. planes were not flying in the region, nor were those of any U.S. partners, Pentagon spokesman Peter Cook said Tuesday. State Department spokesman Mark Toner blamed Russia for the airstrikes. |
| At least seven people were killed in the strike Monday morning,according to the nonprofit aid group Doctors Without Borders, which runs the hospital. U.N. human rights spokesman Rupert Colville said the strike “may amount to a war crime.” | At least seven people were killed in the strike Monday morning,according to the nonprofit aid group Doctors Without Borders, which runs the hospital. U.N. human rights spokesman Rupert Colville said the strike “may amount to a war crime.” |
| The U.N. envoy said later in a statement that he had a “useful meeting” with Syrian Foreign Minister Walid al-Moualem. | The U.N. envoy said later in a statement that he had a “useful meeting” with Syrian Foreign Minister Walid al-Moualem. |
| The priority for the United Nations is “humanitarian access to besieged areas, by anyone who is besieging it,” de Mistura said, adding that it was “the duty of the government of Syria” to reach Syrian civilians under siege. | The priority for the United Nations is “humanitarian access to besieged areas, by anyone who is besieging it,” de Mistura said, adding that it was “the duty of the government of Syria” to reach Syrian civilians under siege. |
| In northern Syria, at least two schools and four hospitals were hit by airstrikes on Monday, according to the United Nations. | In northern Syria, at least two schools and four hospitals were hit by airstrikes on Monday, according to the United Nations. |
| UNICEF said Tuesday it was still trying to assess the impact of strikes on two hospitals in the north the day before. Video footage of the aftermath at one of the facilities — a children’s and maternity hospital — showed babies crying in incubators, their monitor alarms ringing. | UNICEF said Tuesday it was still trying to assess the impact of strikes on two hospitals in the north the day before. Video footage of the aftermath at one of the facilities — a children’s and maternity hospital — showed babies crying in incubators, their monitor alarms ringing. |
| “UNICEF staff are working with our partners to verify the numberof casualties, including children killed and injured in the attacks,” spokesman Kieran Dwyer said. | “UNICEF staff are working with our partners to verify the numberof casualties, including children killed and injured in the attacks,” spokesman Kieran Dwyer said. |
| Colville, in Geneva on Tuesday, called the incident “completely outrageous,” the Reuters news agency reported. “All the norms and rules and standards on conduct of warfare have just been swept aside in Syria,” he said. | Colville, in Geneva on Tuesday, called the incident “completely outrageous,” the Reuters news agency reported. “All the norms and rules and standards on conduct of warfare have just been swept aside in Syria,” he said. |
| [Battered Aleppo latest stage for Syria’s proxy war] | [Battered Aleppo latest stage for Syria’s proxy war] |
| But in comments carried by the state-run Syrian Arab NewsAgency, Assad said it is unlikely the fighting will stop. | But in comments carried by the state-run Syrian Arab NewsAgency, Assad said it is unlikely the fighting will stop. |
| “Regarding a cease-fire, a halt to operations, if it happened,it doesn’t mean that each party will stop using weapons,” he said. | “Regarding a cease-fire, a halt to operations, if it happened,it doesn’t mean that each party will stop using weapons,” he said. |
| Hashim al-Moussawi, a spokesman for the Iraqi Shiite militia Harakatal-Nujaba, which has fighters battling for Assad in Syria, said the pro-government forces were in a position of strength. “We’ve proved that we still have the upper hand,” he said. | Hashim al-Moussawi, a spokesman for the Iraqi Shiite militia Harakatal-Nujaba, which has fighters battling for Assad in Syria, said the pro-government forces were in a position of strength. “We’ve proved that we still have the upper hand,” he said. |
| Moussawi said it was “too early” to talk about a cease-fire. | Moussawi said it was “too early” to talk about a cease-fire. |
| “There’s a war,” he said. | “There’s a war,” he said. |
| Morris reported from Baghdad. Michael Birnbaum in Moscow also contributed to this report. | Morris reported from Baghdad. Michael Birnbaum in Moscow also contributed to this report. |