Riad Hijab, General Coordinator of the opposition’s High Negotiations Committee (HNC) met with Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu in the Turkish capital Ankara on Wednesday to discuss ways to stop the war crimes and the onslaught being carried out by the Assad regime and the Iranian and Russian forces on Aleppo.
The two sides stressed the need to lift the siege on the city and deliver urgent humanitarian aid to civilians trapped inside in accordance with the UN Security Council resolution 2254. They also discussed ways to increase support for Free Syrian Army.
Hijab praised diplomatic efforts by Turkey to stop the onslaught on Aleppo as well as the Operation Shield of the Euphrates which had an important role in preserving the unity of Syria and in the fight against the ISIS extremist group. The operation also foiled separatist plans by the PKK-linked groups in northern Syria.
“Operation Shield of the Euphrates revived hope among Syrians of the possibility of the establishment of a safe zone to protect them from indiscriminate bombardment,” Hijab said. He added: “We were talking about the failure of the international community in Syria, but today this failure has turned into complete paralysis in front of the horrific massacres being committed by regime forces as well as their allied Russian and Iranian troops in Syria.”
At the end of the meeting, Hijab expressed appreciation for the enormous efforts being made by Turkey in support of the Syrian revolution in the various international forums and in defense of the Syrian people who are being subjected to the most heinous war crimes since World War II. Hijab also praised Turkey’s generous hosting of millions of Syrian refugees and its efforts to alleviate their suffering. (Source: Syrian Coalition)
