The death toll from the suicide bomb attacks has risen to 45 people killed and 110 wounded in Damascus on Sunday, according to reports by the Syrian state media.
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Syrian Information Minister Omar al-Zoubi said on state TV late Saturday that the government would “never accept” the two groups being removed from the list.
“Two soldiers of the caliphate carried out martyrdom operations in a den of the infidels in the Sayyida Zeinab area, killing almost 50 and injuring around 120”, it said.
A security source told Xinhua news agency that the first explosion was caused by a suicide vehicle bombing and the second occurred when a suicide bomber detonated his explosives-laden belt in the midst of people who gathered at the first blast site. “The progress of the Syrian armed forces could bring more negotiating advantages to the delegation of the Syrian armed forces at the peace talks in Genevea”, said Sarikis Kassargian, another political analyst.
At least 12 people were killed today in a double bomb blast near the Shiite shrine of Sayyida Zeinab, south of the Syrian capital Damascus, a monitor said. “In fact they don’t fight terrorism because they bring terrorism there and ISIS is spreading in many areas in Syria more than before because of these Russian strikes”, al-Mislet said, using a term to refer to the Islamic State group.
The talks began with a meeting at the U.N. offices between U.N. Special Envoy to Syria Staffan de Mistura and a Syrian government delegation headed by Syrian Ambassador to the U.N. Bashar Ja’afari.
Kerry said Sunday that peace was in everyone’s interest.
The United Nations has said it is aiming for six months of talks, first seeking a ceasefire and later working toward a political settlement for Syria. “With the opposition’s delegation not showing up, it shows that they are not serious and irresponsible at a time when Syrians are being killed”.
The main opposition group, the Saudi-backed Higher Negotiations Committee or HNC, boycotted the session, saying it won’t take part until preliminary demands are met: the release of detainees, the end of the bombardment of civilians by Russian and Syrian forces, and the lifting of government blockades on rebel-held areas.
In a controversial move, the alliance has named Mohammed Alloush, member of the Army of rebel group, as its chief negotiator.
Fighting terrorism “won’t happen without ending Russia’s aggression”, Salem al-Muslet, a spokesman for the opposition HNC, said at a press conference on Sunday. Turkey opposed the Syrian Kurds’ participation contending they are linkedo the Kurdish fighters who have fought with Turkey for 30 years over control of Kurdish-majority areas of southeastern Turkey.
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While virtually all parties agree that IS and the al-Qaida-linked Nusra Front should be excluded from the talks, the two sides are divided over Ahrar al-Sham and the Army of Islam.
