Russia proposes March 1 ceasefire in Syria; US wants it now

Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu on Wednesday said it was building a new camp for the refugees inside Syria, and said it was unfair to ask Turkey to open its borders without pressuring Russian Federation over its bombing.

It was not clear what, if anything, the 15-nation Security Council will agree on Wednesday.

Discussions come amid fresh warnings of a worsening humanitarian situation.

“There is a chance that the new wave of refugees will reach 600,000 if airstrikes continue”.

France’s foreign minister has denounced the “terrifying brutality” of Syrian President Bashar Assad’s government.

Fabius was speaking a few hours after announcing he has chose to leave the government to head France’s Constitutional Court.

And Russian efforts to prop up the Assad government by destroying the “moderate opposition” were also having a feedback effect for the West.

Russian Federation said Thursday it has no plans to change its strategy in Syria after the US accused the Kremlin of primarily hitting opposition groups with airstrikes in Syria instead of the Islamic State group.

“What Russia’s doing is directly enabling ISIL (or ISIS)”, said Brett McGurk in reference to air strikes carried out by Moscow’s warplanes in and around Aleppo in support of the Damascus regime.

About 20 countries and groups, including the European Union, are involved in the support group. It also has allowed the Islamic State to flourish.

On Wednesday, Recep Tayyip Erdogan reiterated his position that the PYD was no different to Turkey’s Kurdish rebels, which the US does consider to be a terror organization, or to IS. “That’s why the region is drenched in blood”.

Kerry emphasized on Tuesday that USA officials “are not blind to what is happening”.

The first round of talks in Geneva collapsed earlier this month over the bombardment of Aleppo, where observers say at least 500 people have been killed since the Russian-backed regime offensive began on Monday last week.

Rebel groups are facing a dual advance by both Kurdish forces coming from the west and regime troops – backed by a barrage of Russian air strikes – pressing an offensive north from Aleppo city.

Syrians line up as they wait to cross into Syria at Oncupinar border crossing in the southeastern city of Kilis, Turkey February 11, 2016.

“They wanted it called and defined as a cessation of hostilities”.

Zoubi said the insurgents were well-financed and armed, naming groups that have received U.S.-made TOW anti-armor missiles, as well as the al Qaeda-linked Nusra Front, and other jihadists such as the Turkistan Islamic Party.

Abdul-Jabbar Abu Thabet, a local rebel commander in the Aleppo province, said Thursday that Mannagh air base fell to the People’s Protection Units, or YPG, and their allies after fierce battles.

“Those who can not say anything to the Russian aggression there, including the United Nations, have no right to criticize us”, he said. “Only after multiple checks of the obtained data and ruling out any risks for peaceful civilians, airstrikes are delivered at those targets”, Konashenkov said.

There was no information on the nationalities of those detained.

Anadolu said an investigation was underway.

Diplomats trying to secure a ceasefire for the civil war in Syria appear to have fallen short of organizing a truce but could likely seal an agreement to open up besieged areas of the country to humanitarian aid, according to officials familiar with the talks.

The International Committee of the Red Cross said Wednesday it estimates that around 50,000 people have been displaced by the increasing fighting in the northern parts of Aleppo province.