Sergei Shoigu blames the actions of the "moderate
opposition" in Aleppo for postponement of the political process in
Syria.
The beginning of the political process in Syria has been
postponed indefinitely because of the actions of the "moderate
opposition" in Aleppo, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu told
a video conference on Tuesday.
He noted that "militants shoot dozens of civilians every day for
trying to approach the humanitarian corridors."
"Is that the opposition it is possible to hold negotiations with?
To eliminate terrorists in Syria, it is necessary to work together
rather than put a spoke into partners’ wheel. The gunmen use this
for their own benefit," the minister said. "As a result, the
prospects for the beginning of the political process and the Syrian
people’s return to peaceful have are postponed indefinitely," he
said.
He also said that "over 2,000 so-called moderate opposition
members carried out attacks on residential areas, schools and
hospitals with the support of 22 tanks, 15 IFVs, multiple launch
rocket systems and eight vehicles with suicide bombers."
Shoigu said most of this military hardware had been
eliminated.
The minister recalled that eight humanitarian corridors have
been opened in Aleppo, and the Russian Center for Reconciliation
delivers humanitarian aid to the city on a daily basis.
According to a statement by Syria’s command released on Monday,
over 80 civilians died and nearly 300 others were injured in
Aleppo’s artillery bombardments between October 29 and October 31
alone, most of them women and children. In addition to that, the
command said shells containing chlorine gas had been used by
terrorists in the Al-Hamdaniya neighborhood.
According to Shoigu, the Russian military have not been using
combat aircraft in Syria’s Aleppo for 16 days already upon the
orders of President Vladimir Putin.
"We have not been using warplanes in Aleppo for 16 days
following the order of the commander in chief of the Armed Forces
of the Russian Federation," Shoigu said.
Russian and Syrian warplanes halted their airstrikes on Aleppo
on October 18.
On October 28, the Russian military asked Putin to permit
resumption of airstrikes on eastern Aleppo, citing militant
activity. However, the president gave no such permission and the
humanitarian pause was extended.