- What went wrong suddenly as the truce was holding for the last several weeks is anybody’s guess.
Khaleej Times
Editorial
Syria seems to have lost an opportunity for peace. The ongoing fighting in several areas of the war-torn country is an indicator that the fragile truce is collapsing. Although there are allegations from both the sides as to who is responsible for the breach of ceasefire, it goes without saying that it has had a negative affect across the board, and the peace talks in Geneva are the prime victim. The Syrian opposition has already boycotted the talks, and the regime in Damascus is making use of this opportunity to regain as much territory as possible from its adversaries. It is a nail biting situation and ensuing violence has unnerved the people to the core. This is why US President Barack Obama and the United Nations special envoy Staffan de Mistura fear that Syria is once again sliding into chaos and anarchy.
What went wrong suddenly as the truce was holding for the last several weeks is anybody’s guess. The point is that the US and Russia are on the same page in their desire to see the five-year old conflict come to an end. But the way skirmishes have broken out – from Aleppo to the suburbs of Damascus – proves that the implementation muscles were not stronger enough. Moreover, there was a lack of political will from both the sides, as each side desired for a lion’s share at the negotiating table by exhibiting the potential they hold on the ground. This exercise of muscle flexing has cost the truce. Damascus has violated the ceasefire terms by resorting to aerial strikes against the rebel-held areas. Mistura is right as he urged the need for a regional summit on a one-point agenda: how to save the peace process from faltering. A lot of labour from Saudi Arabia and other Arab states had gone into assemble the opposition, and that hard work should not go down the drain. Damascus should immediately stop flying sorties and reassure the opposition that it wants an amicable solution across the table.
