The Syrian opposition’s chief peace negotiator, Mohammad Alloush, has resigned over the failure of peace talks to end the country’s civil war.
Alloush, who represents the influential Jaish al-Islam rebel group, made his resignation public via Twitter, tweeting that his decision was a result of the failure of the international community to stop the atrocities of Bashar al-Assad’s regime against the Syrian people.
The regime and non-jihadist rebels agreed to a ceasefire in February but the truce has disintegrated significantly.
Alloush said the three stages of the Geneva negotiations were not successful because of obstinacy from the Assad regime and the continuation of attacks and aggression against the people of Syria.
The international community failed to apply the humanitarian resolutions, including lifting the siege, accessing aid to besieged areas, releasing detainees and applying the truce, he said
Hanging by a thread
A new round of peace talks was planned but no date has been announced.
Opposition leaders, with the backing of the United States and its allies, are pushing for Assad to step down, but Damascus has insisted his presidency is non-negotiable.
The Assad regime, supported by Russia, maintains that the government is fighting terrorists.
Conflict continues
Last week, as many as nine explosions tore through two Syrian government strongholds in the Syrian coastal cities of Tartous and Jabla, killing over 100 and injuring many more. ISIS claimed responsibility.
A U.S.-backed alliance of Kurdish and Arab forces announced last Tuesday it will push into territory north of ISIS’ de facto capital in Raqqa.
According to the United Nations, more than 250,000 people have been killed, 1 million injured and the majority of Syrians displaced due to ongoing violence since 2011.
