\n The UN peace envoy for Syria on Friday proposed a plan for Al-Qaeda-linked fighters in Syria's Idlib province to pull back from civilian areas to avert a bloodbath in the rebel-held province.\n<\/p>\n
\n The United Nations has warned of a humanitarian disaster if Syrian forces, backed by Russia and Iran, launch an all-out attack in Idlib, the last major rebel bastion.\n<\/p>\n
\n Addressing the Security Council, Staffan de Mistura also called for evacuation corridors to be opened for civilians to voluntarily leave the war zone, under UN monitoring.\n<\/p>\n
\n The council was meeting as the presidents of Iran, Russia and Turkey agreed during a summit in Tehran to work in a \"spirit of cooperation\" to stabilize the situation in Idlib.\n<\/p>\n
\n The three countries are guarantors of the Astana process, a track of talks on Syria's war launched after Russia's 2015 military intervention that has largely eclipsed the UN peace process in Geneva.\n<\/p>\n
\n De Mistura proposed that a deadline be set for all fighters -- in particular the Al-Qaeda-linked Nusra Front -- to move away from populated areas and that no military attacks would be launched during the pullback.\n<\/p>\n
\n \"This would apply in particular for Al-Nusra, who should be notified by the guarantors, in particular Turkey, which still has the capacity to send messages,\" he said.\n<\/p>\n
\n Russia told the council meeting that some 40 to 45 armed groups with up to 50,000 people were operating in Idlib. Some 16,000 are fighting in the ranks of Al-Nusra and 11,300 others are members of hardline groups, said Russian Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia.\n<\/p>\n
\n Syrian civilians are \"worn out by extremist tyranny\" in Idlib, said Nebenzia, adding that terrorist groups remain \"a legitimate target for liquidation.\"\n<\/p>\n
\n Some three million people live in the northwest region, which came under renewed air strikes and bombings earlier this week.\n<\/p>\n
\n \"There are more babies in Idlib than there are terrorists,\" said British Ambassador Karen Pierce. \"I think this should give those engaged in military action pause for thought.\"\n<\/p>\n
\n Britain recalled that targeting civilians amounts to war crimes and warned that Syrian commanders and military units loyal to President Bashar al-Assad will be held accountable for any violations in Idlib.\n<\/p>\n
\n US Ambassador Nikki Haley warned: \"If Assad, Russia, and Iran continue, the consequences will be dire.\"\n<\/p>\n
\n De Mistura is to hold talks next week with the three guarantors in Geneva next week.\n<\/p>\n
\n More than 350,000 people have been killed in Syria's seven-year war, but UN diplomats fear the assault on Idlib could trigger one of the worst bloodbaths of the conflict.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The UN peace envoy for Syria on Friday proposed a plan for Al-Qaeda-linked fighters in Syria's Idlib province to pull back from civilian areas to avert a bloodbath in the rebel-held province. The United Nations has warned of a humanitarian disaster if Syrian forces, backed by Russia and Iran, launch an all-out attack in Idlib, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":60,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[553],"tags":[],"ji_location":[],"class_list":["post-38751","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-live-feed"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n