(Zaman Al Wasl- Agencies)- Syrian rebel groups Monday announced a new "battle" against against government forces which they said was a response to violations of a fragile cessation of hostilities deal in place since the end of February.
The groups, which included factions fighting under the banner of the Free Syrian Army and powerful Islamist Ahrar al-Sham, said in a statement they would respond "with force" against any army units that fired on civilians.
The statement was sent to Reuters by Mohamed Rasheed, head of the media office of the Jaysh al-Nasr rebel group. It said the groups were setting up a joint operations room.
It gave no geographic location for the new battle.
In his turn, Syrian opposition's chief negotiator Asaad Zoubi urged rebels to strike back against the Syrian army, accusing it of using a cessation of hostilities to gain ground.
In an internet message to fighters on the ground he also said he would not continue for long with negotiations in Geneva if government action continued and there was no progress on a key demand by the opposition for political transition in Syria without President Bashar al Assad. He gave no deadline
"We will not stay for long negotiating...In the event a missile targets them they have to retaliate with ten missiles and to exploit the truce as the regime has done," said Zoubi whose mainstream opposition group has been accused by fighters of being divorced from developments on the ground.
The mainstream opposition includes both political and armed opposition to Assad. It includes rebel groups such as Jaysh al-Islam and a number of Free Syrian Army rebel factions deemed moderate by the West, some of which have received military support from Assad's foreign enemies.
In a recent development, On Monday, The opposition delegation sent only three delegates to meet the U.N. envoy mediating in Syrian peace talks on Monday, a Reuters camerawoman said, as pressure mounted over demands for concessions amid a surge in fighting on the ground.
The HNC, which normally sends a delegation of about 15 to negotiate with U.N. envoy Staffan de Mistura, also postponed a news conference by its chief coordinator Riyad Hijab from Monday until midday on Tuesday.
The groups, which included factions fighting under the banner of the Free Syrian Army and powerful Islamist Ahrar al-Sham, said in a statement they would respond "with force" against any army units that fired on civilians.
The statement was sent to Reuters by Mohamed Rasheed, head of the media office of the Jaysh al-Nasr rebel group. It said the groups were setting up a joint operations room.
It gave no geographic location for the new battle.
In his turn, Syrian opposition's chief negotiator Asaad Zoubi urged rebels to strike back against the Syrian army, accusing it of using a cessation of hostilities to gain ground.
In an internet message to fighters on the ground he also said he would not continue for long with negotiations in Geneva if government action continued and there was no progress on a key demand by the opposition for political transition in Syria without President Bashar al Assad. He gave no deadline
"We will not stay for long negotiating...In the event a missile targets them they have to retaliate with ten missiles and to exploit the truce as the regime has done," said Zoubi whose mainstream opposition group has been accused by fighters of being divorced from developments on the ground.
The mainstream opposition includes both political and armed opposition to Assad. It includes rebel groups such as Jaysh al-Islam and a number of Free Syrian Army rebel factions deemed moderate by the West, some of which have received military support from Assad's foreign enemies.
In a recent development, On Monday, The opposition delegation sent only three delegates to meet the U.N. envoy mediating in Syrian peace talks on Monday, a Reuters camerawoman said, as pressure mounted over demands for concessions amid a surge in fighting on the ground.
The HNC, which normally sends a delegation of about 15 to negotiate with U.N. envoy Staffan de Mistura, also postponed a news conference by its chief coordinator Riyad Hijab from Monday until midday on Tuesday.
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