Kerry Meets Putin in Moscow to Discuss Syria

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry told Russia’s president that “concrete” steps were needed to achieve a diplomatic solution to the conflict in Syria.

Kerry traveled to Moscow to meet Russian president Vladimir Putin on Thursday to discuss the ongoing conflict in Syria, which has already claimed the lives of 400,000 people.

In Moscow, Kerry “emphasized that absent concrete, near-term steps, diplomatic efforts could not continue indefinitely,” according to a statement from the State Department.

The meeting was an attempt to salvage the U.N.-brokered peace talks that fell apart in April. Peace talks are aimed at finding a political solution to the conflict in Syria and despite the halt in negotiations, the talks have an Aug. 1 deadline.

“Let’s see what happens in Moscow in the next few hours. Let’s hope there is some type of general understanding or progress,” U.N. Syria envoy Staffan de Mistura told reporters in Geneva on Thursday, according to al-Monitor. “I think the next few days are crucial in order to make sure we know where they stand. When the two co-chairs agree on something … that helps a lot.”

Ahead of Kerry’s trip to Russia, the Washington Post published a leaked U.S. document proposing new military cooperation between Washington and Moscow that was expected to be the subject of Thursday night’s meeting. However, according to Russia, the two leaders did not discuss a military partnership, Reuters reported.

Increased Violence in Deir Ezzor Province

Syrian government forces launched an operation on a largely ISIS-controlled district of Deir Ezzor province on Friday.

Forces loyal to Syrian president Bashar al-Assad carried out at least 50 airstrikes on the area and were able to retake the majority of al-Sina’a district, according to al-Masdar News.

At least 23 people were killed and injured in an explosion caused by a Syrian government airstrike at an IED factory that allegedly belonged to ISIS, according to the U.K-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. The Observatory reported that at least three ISIS fighters were killed in the blast.

The Syrian army’s operation in Deir Ezzor comes a day after ISIS released a video claiming to have shot down a Syrian government plane and killed its pilot, according to the Associated Press.

The same day, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights also reported that ISIS downed a second government plane near the Deir Ezzor military airport.

Clashes Break Out in the Southern Sweida Province

Several armed opposition factions launched a major operation Friday against government forces in southwestern Sweida province.

Opposition factions shelled Syrian army positions in the villages of Barad and al-Mijimir in Sweida province near the border of the largely rebel-controlled province of Daraa. Several were wounded and at least one woman was killed, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

According to the pro-government al-Masdar News, opposition forces suffered several setbacks during the operation due to heavy airstrikes from the Syrian air force in a neighboring town.

Recommended Reads:

• Al-Jazeera: Syria’s Deadly Spillover
• The Guardian: I Fled Syria for Kent – and Regained My Life as an Academic
• CNBC: Nice Attack: What it Means for Fight in Syria, Iraq
• The Associated Press: Syria’s Assad Says He Doesn’t Know Who Killed Marie Colvin
• Al-Monitor: In Battle for Aleppo, Syria May Be at Stake