Revolutionary council in northern Syrian city snubs UN envoy Staffan de Mistura's proposal for a temporary ceasefire.
![Syrian Foreign Minister Walid al-Moallem (R) meeting with The UN peace envoy to Syria Staffan de Mistura in Damascus [SANA/EPA]](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/blogger_img_proxy/AEn0k_tcrpiqLdFyGJT899aR8wUA6Kau8wh-zaDrGkXyaQtz9Kycr-l7YF4-ei23WjWwsC_u6ocfiANh8N8Fmnlr36kjvail9JOKZyrhoYr5iwX8s1RhMCPZpI1OwbxdGv5ji9HiIIHpwpOJ6hMdxTutBRAEwXqgaXCKLcFuHgU2SpjVZ5tiQMXxVvE78id2o6PdMxObxepd2UMKsQ=s0-d "Syrian opposition rejects UN Aleppo truce plan")
A
group of Syrian opposition forces have rejected UN envoy Staffan de
Mistura's proposal of a temporary ceasefire in the northern Syrian city
of Aleppo.
"We refuse to meet with Mr Staffan de Mistura if it is not on the basis of a comprehensive solution to Syria's drama through the exit of (President) Bashar al-Assad and his chief of staff, and the prosecution of war criminals," Aleppo's revolutionary council said in a statement on Sunday.
After two days of meetings in the Turkish cities of Kellis and Gaziantep, the council said in a statement that de Mistura's ideas do not meet up the level of an initiative.
They also refused to meet with de Mistura unless he proposes a comprehensive solution to the Syrian crisis including Assad and his regime out of office.
"Syria and its people are one and indivisible. The blood of our brothers in Deraa (in the south), in Ghouta (near Damascus), in Homs (central) and in other Syrian provinces are no less important than our blood in Aleppo," the statement said.
Al Jazeera's Zeina Khodr, reporting from Beirut, said the UN envoy's proposal is now dead to the opposition.
"A solution for the Syrian opposition involves the Syrian President Bashar al-Assad stepping down and also involves the prosecution of war criminals.
"Rebels and the opposition have been saying why just Aleppo, why can't we reach an agreement that involves the whole of Syria?" Khodr added.
Freeze fighting
On Saturday evening, Deputy Prime Minister Minister Walid Moallem received de Mistura and the accompanying delegation, according to SANA news agency.
During the meeting, the two sides discussed the plan to freeze fighting in Aleppo city, and they agreed to send a mission from the envoy's office in Damascus to Aleppo to inspect the situation there.
The meeting was attended by Deputy Foreign and Expatriates Minister Fayssal Mikdad and Advisor to the Foreign and Expatriates Minister Ahmad Arnous.
Under the plan, rebels would be asked to suspend rocket and mortar fire there during the freeze. De Mistura incurred the wrath of the opposition earlier in February by describing Assad as "part of the solution" to Syria's conflict.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, which monitors the war in Syria, said at least 4,000 people have been killed in February alone.
At least 220,000 people have been killed in Syria since the conflict began in March 2011 with anti-government protests that spiralled into a multi-sided civil war.
"We refuse to meet with Mr Staffan de Mistura if it is not on the basis of a comprehensive solution to Syria's drama through the exit of (President) Bashar al-Assad and his chief of staff, and the prosecution of war criminals," Aleppo's revolutionary council said in a statement on Sunday.
After two days of meetings in the Turkish cities of Kellis and Gaziantep, the council said in a statement that de Mistura's ideas do not meet up the level of an initiative.
They also refused to meet with de Mistura unless he proposes a comprehensive solution to the Syrian crisis including Assad and his regime out of office.
"Syria and its people are one and indivisible. The blood of our brothers in Deraa (in the south), in Ghouta (near Damascus), in Homs (central) and in other Syrian provinces are no less important than our blood in Aleppo," the statement said.
Al Jazeera's Zeina Khodr, reporting from Beirut, said the UN envoy's proposal is now dead to the opposition.
"A solution for the Syrian opposition involves the Syrian President Bashar al-Assad stepping down and also involves the prosecution of war criminals.
"Rebels and the opposition have been saying why just Aleppo, why can't we reach an agreement that involves the whole of Syria?" Khodr added.
Freeze fighting
On Saturday evening, Deputy Prime Minister Minister Walid Moallem received de Mistura and the accompanying delegation, according to SANA news agency.
During the meeting, the two sides discussed the plan to freeze fighting in Aleppo city, and they agreed to send a mission from the envoy's office in Damascus to Aleppo to inspect the situation there.
The meeting was attended by Deputy Foreign and Expatriates Minister Fayssal Mikdad and Advisor to the Foreign and Expatriates Minister Ahmad Arnous.
Under the plan, rebels would be asked to suspend rocket and mortar fire there during the freeze. De Mistura incurred the wrath of the opposition earlier in February by describing Assad as "part of the solution" to Syria's conflict.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, which monitors the war in Syria, said at least 4,000 people have been killed in February alone.
At least 220,000 people have been killed in Syria since the conflict began in March 2011 with anti-government protests that spiralled into a multi-sided civil war.
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