WASHINGTON — The United States expressed deep concern that a possible Russian- and Iranian-backed Syrian army operation against al-Qaeda-linked Jabhat al-Nusra militants near Aleppo could escalate hostilities with rebels and unravel the fragile 6-week-old cease-fire just as new Syria peace talks are set to resume in Geneva April 13. The warnings came amid increasing violence threatening to unravel the partial cease-fire and as diplomats said that the Syrian regime was increasingly blocking humanitarian aid deliveries.
“We are very, very concerned about the recent increase in violence, and that includes actions we believe are in contravention to the cessation of hostilities,” State Department spokesman Mark Toner told journalists at a press briefing April 11.
“The cessation of hostilities has not been perfect, but it has brought about a substantial decrease in the level of violence,” Toner said. “And to have it go off track right before the next round of proximity talks, we feel … could potentially harm the success of those talks, and we need to see real progress.”
US and Russian officials have intensified discussions about the increasing fragility of the cease-fire, including in a phone call between Secretary of State John Kerry and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov April 10. Among the concerns are that some of the rebel groups who have signed on to the cease-fire operate close to Jabhat al-Nusra near Aleppo.
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