Syrian opposition resumes Russian peace talks after Jordan mediates

Talks between the Syrian opposition and Russian negotiators to reach a ceasefire in an opposition and rebel-held town in southwestern Syria have resumed after mediation by Jordan, an opposition spokesman said.
A string of Syrian rebel towns and villages were forced to accept regime control on Saturday as insurgent lines collapsed in parts of the southwest under intense bombardment.
Negotiations in the town of Busra al Sham brokedown on Saturday after Russian officers met the team representing the Free Syrian Army’s (FSA) and demanded a complete surrender, the opposition group said.
But on Sunday, following mediation efforts by Jordan, the team re-entered talks with Russian officers, Ibrahim al Jabawi, the spokesman for FSA negotiators said.
TRT World‘s Alaattin Kilic reports from Azaz in northern Syria, near the Turkish border.
“The talks have resumed this morning between the Russian side and the opposition in southern Syria under Jordanian auspices,” Jabawi said.
Jordan, concerned about the outbreak of violence and mass displacement along its northern border, has been facilitating talks between FSA factions and the Russians over a deal that would end the fighting.
Jordan’s Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi said the kingdom was engaged in intensive diplomacy with all parties in the conflict to help broker a ceasefire that would ease the plight of displaced civilians.
A Syrian regime offensive launched last month on opposition and rebel-held territory in southwest Syria has displaced over 160,000 people, mostly towards the border with Jordan and the frontier with the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights.

Russian military shoots down drones
Unidentified drones have been shot down near Russian Hmeimim air base in Syria, RIA news agency quoted an air base spokesman on Sunday
Interfax news agency said the base was not damaged during the incident, citing Russian military.

Israel boosts tanks, artillery at Syrian front
Israel’s military says it deployed additional tank and artillery forces on the Syrian front on Sunday as a precaution given intensified fighting over the border between regime’s forces and the opposition.
“The forces deployed this morning as part of preparations and readiness in light of developments on the Syrian Golan Heights,” the military said on Twitter, adding that Israel was holding to a policy of non-intervention in Syria’s civil war.