Syria: Putin orders to begin withdrawal of his forces

The withdrawal of forces will begin from Tuesday.

"I think that the tasks set to the defense ministry are generally fulfilled. That is why I order to begin withdrawal of most of our military group from Syria starting from tomorrow," Putin was quoted as saying by TASS on Monday at a meeting with Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu and Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.

Meanwhile, talks resumed on Monday between representatives of the Government and those of the opposition in Syria, where the United Nations envoy overseeing the discussions said a “fragile” cessation of hostilities has been holding for 18 days.

Speaking to reporters in Geneva on the eve of the fifth anniversary of the conflict – "a sad anniversary" – the UN Special Envoy of the Secretary-General for Syria, Staffan de Mistura, said the renewal of the intra-Syrian talks is “a moment of truth” and that the only available Plan B is a “return to war, and to an even worse war that we had so far”.

“We [the UN] are facilitating, mediating, pushing, stimulating. But the real peacemakers here are the peacemaking powers who wanted these talks, the ISSG, and the Security Council members, and hopefully the Syrian sides,” said  de Mistura, referring to the acronym for the International Syrian Support Group (ISSG), of which the UN is a member along with the Arab League, the European Union and 17 countries – including the United States and Russia – which have been seeking a path forward for several months.

The focus of the new talks is on matters of governance, including a new Constitution of Syria, and the holding of elections.

The agenda for the proximity talks is “set”,  de Mistura said, and based on Security Council resolution 2254 (2015) and the Geneva Communiqué.

“The rule of the game will be 'inclusiveness',” the UN envoy noted, adding hope that the proximity negotiations will lead to direct negotiations.

de Mistura acknowledged that spoilers would try to derail the talks but that “the secret will be to be cold and determined”. He added that “public rhetoric will try to cast iron preconditions, but this is a moment of truth, and hopefully proactive chance.”

Special Envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura briefs reporters in Geneva. UN Photo/Anne-Laure Lechat

In addition to the talks, two task forces created by the ISSG are overseeing humanitarian aid delivery to thousands of Syrians since a cessation of hostilities took hold on 27 February, at the endorsement of Security Council resolution (2016) 2268.

The cessation is being watched closely by Syrians seeking refuge in neighbouring countries.

Describing a conversation he had with a member of his Syrian Advisory Board yesterday, the UN envoy said the woman had returned from the Beqaa valley in Lebanon, as well as Turkey and Lebanon. She described how one of the women said that if the cessation holds, she would move the tent in which her family is living to the site of their ruined house “because I want my own dignity and I love my country”.

de Mistura will brief the Security Council on Monday in closed consultations.

More than 80 percent of Syria's children now impacted by conflict.

Image: UN