Statement from the Information and Press Department of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs regarding the development of the situation in the North of Syria
According to communication received from Syria: from 7th December onward more than 10 large weapon and ammunition warehouses – which belonged to the so-called Superior Military Council (SMC) of the Free Syrian Army in various regions of the country, mainly in the north – were attacked and captured by Islamic Front (IF) militants. Islamic militants have also occupied the SMC headquarters in Atma. Its head, Brigadier General Salim Idriss, has left the territory of Syria.
We remind everyone that, on 22nd November, the IF leaders announced that they had completely broken up with the SMC and the National Coalition for Syrian Revolutionary and Opposition Forces representing them, and they appealed to the militants to fight for the creation of a Sharia-based Islamic state in Syria.
In the conditions that have followed, the United States and the United Kingdom, whose representative earlier contacted the IF leaders, made the decision to stop supplies of non-lethal military aid to the opposition in the North of Syria (opposition militants received armoured combat vehicles, night vision equipment and modern communication equipment within the framework of such official aid).
The development of such events cannot remain unnoticed – don't forget the context of preparation for the International conference on Syria in Geneva. It is known that the IF has so far stated that it rejects any opportunity to enter into negotiations with the Syrian government.
For our part, we will continue to act according to the objective of a peaceful political settlement in Syria, via the Geneva-2 convention on 22nd January 2014 and the launch of a Syria-wide dialogue on the basis of the Geneva Communiquй of 30th June 2012. We remain committed to all the adopted international decisions and agreements in this regard, including the respective provisions of the Final documents of the G8 leaders in Lough Erne. We expect that our international and regional partners will act in the same way.
12th December 2013
