Extraordinary details regarding the composition of pro-government forces supporting Bashar al-Assad and their advances in Aleppo are contained in the following article published in Le Monde today, December 6, 2016.
The fall of Aleppo is in sight, as Russia and China vetoed a U.N. Security Council draft resolution on Monday, December 5, which called for a ceasefire and the provision of humanitarian aid.
See
Louis Imbert, Laure Stephan et Benjamin Barthe (Beyrouth), “A l’assaut d’Alep-Est, une coalition de forces pro-Assad; L’armée, des groupes paramilitaires et des milices chiites étrangères progressent dans les quartiers rebelles,” Le Monde, le 6. Déembre 2016 (à 10h31, Mis à jour à 11h21.
The Security Council resolution, sponsored by Egypt, New Zealand and Spain, received 11 affirmative votes, the negative votes of Russia (veto), China (veto) and Venezuela, and the abstention of Angola.
See
Press Release, “Security Council Fails to Adopt Draft Resolution to End Attacks on Aleppo as Two Permanent Members Cast Veto,” U.N. Doc. SC/12609, December 5, 2016 (7825TH MEETING (PM).
The press release stated that The draft resolution had been
“a text that would have barred “any and all attacks” in Aleppo, while demanding a cessation of hostilities throughout the country, except where operations were ongoing against groups it deemed terrorists. The Council would have considered further seven-day extensions to the Aleppo ceasefire on a recurring basis.
The Web TV video of the meeting is found here (English), and here (original language).
Finally, a noteworthy op-ed by Peter W. Galbraith appeared today in the New York Times, concluding that the war in Syria is over and that now is the time to stop the fighting.
See Peter W. Galbraith, “How the War Ends in Syria,” New York Times, December 6, 2016.
President Obama’s craven policy of not acting effectively in Syria has hadthe gravest of consequences, with over a half a million dead. His choice was “to work withthe Russians”.
These are the consequences.
The Trenchant Observer