Russia urges Syrian rebels to separate from 'terrorists'

Russia is urging Syrian rebels to separate themselves from “terrorists” to ensure that the Russia-US-brokered ceasefire continues to hold in Syria, where a relative calm has prevailed since the truce went into effect two days ago.

A spokesman for Russian President Vladimir Putin says the Kremlin is hopeful that the truce deal “will create the necessary environment for political settlement.”

Activists in the besieged Syrian city of Aleppo protest against the UN for what they say is its failure to lift the siege off their rebel-held area, on Sept. 13, 2016. (Modar Shekho via AP)

Dmitry Peskov tells reporters that the Kremlin welcomes the ceasefire, but that the key thing now is to make sure moderate opposition groups are separated from the “terrorists” — a reference to militant groups such as Syria’s al-Qaeda affiliate.

Peskov calls this the “key task, without which further progress can hardly be possible.”

— AP