Syrian Rebels in Secret Talks With Moscow to End Aleppo Fighting

The Financial Times reports that Turkey has arranged secret talks between Syrian rebels and Russia to stop the fighting in Aleppo. The rebel-held portion of Aleppo is surrounded, and occupants are desperate for food, water and other supplies. The US, which has “provided limited training and weaponry for the rebels but had been hesitant to give forceful backing,” was not included in the talks, the report notes. “Regional actors now seem more willing to bypass Washington to seek out pacts with Russia, which is keen to develop the image of a rising power that can help broker such deals.” Officials from Libya, Egypt and other countries in the Middle East have been meeting with Russia as well. One observer suggests that Russia holding talks just before Aleppo falls is a deliberate move to marginalize the United States. – YaleGlobal