Could Tehran talks pave the way for a more encompassing ceasefire in Syria?

More than six years after the outbreak of the civil war in Syria, international efforts are still underway to find a peaceful resolution to the conflict. As the three guarantors of the Syrian ceasefire have gathered in Tehran for a new round of talks, situation on the ground still contains heavy battles between the Syrian army and the terrorists.

کد خبر: ۷۱۹۷۳۸

تاریخ: ۱۷ مرداد ۱۳۹۶ - ۲۲:۴۳

Tabnak – More than six years after the outbreak of the civil war in Syria, international efforts are still underway to find a peaceful resolution to the conflict. As the three guarantors of the Syrian ceasefire have gathered in Tehran for a new round of talks, situation on the ground still contains heavy battles between the Syrian army and the terrorists.

On Tuesday, representatives of Iran, Russia and Turkey (the three nations guaranteeing the ceasefire in Syria) started an expert-level meeting in Tehran to set the agenda of the 6th round of the Syrian peace talks in the Kazakh capital Astana due to be held later this month.

During the two-day meeting, the participants will exchange views about the ongoing ceasefire and the de-escalation zones in Syria. The results of the expert-level meeting are planned to be submitted to the Astana talks due to be held at the level of deputy foreign ministers by the end of August.

Syria’s warring sides have so far attended five rounds of peace talks in Astana, brokered by Iran, Russia and Turkey, known as the guarantors of a ceasefire in the Arab country. The fourth round of talks in May produced a memorandum of understanding on de-escalation zones in Syria, sharply reducing fighting in the country.

Meanwhile, as a result of the previous talks, it is reported that tens of Russian forces have entered Northern Homs to monitor the ceasefire agreement between the Syrian Army and militants.

Local sources said that 40 Russian military policemen have arrived in Dar al-Kabireh passageway in Northern Homs along with their vehicles to monitor the newly-brokered ceasefire in the region.

Relevant reports said last week that hundreds of Russian forces were stationed in Southern Syria to monitor the ceasefire underway in the region. Hundreds of Russian forces deployed to the provinces of Dara'a and Quneitra to monitor ceasefire in Sothern Syria.

The sources also said in late July that 400 Russian military police forces reached the driving training center near the village of al-Mothabin and the town of al-Sanamin in Northern Dara'a which were controlled by the Syrian army.

The sources also said that the Syrian soldiers set up a temporary military base for the Russian military police forces in the Northern parts of al-Isharah Battalion 110 region and near the town of al-Sanamin.

At the same time, it is reported that government troops are about to capture the entire lands in Central Syria after four years of terrorists' occupation following the recent advances against ISIS in Eastern Hama and Homs.

The army forces have inflicted heavy defeats on ISIS terrorists by recapturing the key town of al-Sukhnah in Eastern Homs and advancing against terrorists in the Southern part of Raqqa province, local sources said.

Experts believe that simultaneous with the army's anti-ISIS operations in Homs, Hama and Raqqa provinces, the pro-government forces' control over Deir Ezzur province that is considered as the second bastion of ISIS in Syria after Raqqa, can end ISIS’ presence in the war-torn country.

If happened, such a development, together with the diplomatic talks currently underway, could create a glimpse of hope to finally end the six-year conflict.