FM: Foreign troops entering Syria would return 'in coffins'

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DAMASCUS, Syria (AP) -- Syrian Foreign Minister Walid al-Moallem has warned that any foreign ground troops entering his country would "return home in wooden coffins."

Al-Moallem spoke Saturday at his ministry in Damascus, responding to questions by reporters.

Earlier this week, Saudi Arabia's army spokesman had said his country was willing to send ground troops to Syria as part of a U.S.-led military campaign against Islamic State extremists. The group controls large parts of Syria and Iraq.

Al-Moallem says that any attack on Syrian territory without the consent of his government will be considered an act of aggression and will be dealt with accordingly.

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/M/ML_SYRIA?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2016-02-06-06-52-55

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1. Iran mocks Saudi offer to send ground troops to Syria

The head of Iran's elite Revolutionary Guard said on Saturday Saudi Arabia lacked the courage to go through with a plan to send ground troops to Syria, and warned they would be wiped out if they went in.

Mohammad Ali Jafari's blunt words on the Fars news agency were Iran's first official reaction to a statement from its regional rival Saudi Arabia this week that it was ready to join ground operations in Syria if a U.S.-led military alliance decided to start them.

"[The Saudis] have made such a claim but I don't think they are brave enough to do so ... Even if they send troops, they would be definitely defeated ... it would be suicide," Mr. Jafari was quoted as saying.

Iran has already sent forces to Syria to back its ally President Bashar al-Assad in his country's five-year-old civil war. Washington and its allies have backed rebels fighting Assad and say he must eventually step down.

http://www.thehindu.com/news/international/iran-mocks-saudi-offer-to-send-ground-troops-to-syria/article8202900.ece

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2. The Pentagon: Carter Will Discuss Ground Operations in Syria With Mohammad bin Salman

While the White House announced President Barack Obama’s welcoming of Saudi Arabia’s announcement that it is prepared to send ground troops to fight ISIS in Syria, a military source at the US Department of Defense told Asharq Al-Awsat yesterday that the Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter is determined to discuss the details of the military plan and the new role of Saudi ground troops in the fight against ISIS with his Saudi counterpart Prince Mohammed bin Salman at their next meeting in Brussels.

The spokesman for the White House Josh Ernest yesterday said that “We welcome this initiative by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia” and added that Carter will discuss accelerating efforts to fight ISIS and details of Saudi Arabia’s commitment to this with Prince Mohammed bin Salman and the defence ministers of other countries (a total of 24 ministers) in Brussels next week. He expressed “his hope” that “other countries take similar steps to speed up the campaign against ISIS”.

Meanwhile, the President of the National Coalition for Syrian Revolutionary and Opposition Forces Khaled Khoja told Asharq Al-Awsat that “intervention by friends, especially Arab friends, to support the Syrian resistance and the Free Syrian Army (FSA) was necessary since the beginning of direct confrontations between the FSA and Shiite militias on the one hand, and against ISIS on the other. After the Russian intervention, however, this matter has become crucial.”

On the other hand, an official at the Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu’s office refused to comment on the possibility of a Saudi-Turkish initiative through Turkish territory, however he said in a statement to Asharq Al-Awsat that there is close cooperation between the two sides about the Syrian people and there is an agreement not to leave them alone to be killed. He also pointed out that the Turkish chief of staff was part of the Turkish delegation that recently visited Saudi Arabia and that this demonstrates the “great understanding” between the two countries.

http://english.aawsat.com/2016/02/article55347324/the-pentagon-carter-will-discuss-ground-operations-in-syria-with-mohammad-bin-salman

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3. As Syrian rebels confront crushing defeat in Aleppo, could Saudi Arabia and Turkey be drawn into the

With rebel forces facing the prospect of a crushing defeat by Syria’s Russian-backed regime, their allies Saudi Arabia and Turkey may send in limited numbers of ground troops, analysts say.

Riyadh on Thursday left open the possibility of deploying soldiers, saying it would “contribute positively” if the US-led coalition against Islamic State (IS) in Syria decides on ground action.

The fate of Saudi-backed Syrian armed opposition groups fighting to topple President Bashar al-Assad is also a major concern for the kingdom.

“I think Saudi Arabia is desperate to do something in Syria,” said Andreas Krieg, of the Department of Defence Studies at King’s College London.

http://www.scmp.com/news/world/article/1910049/syrian-rebels-confront-crushing-defeat-aleppo-could-saudi-arabia-and

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4. Syria signals no ceasefire before borders with Turkey, Jordan shut

Syria's foreign minister signalled on Saturday a ceasefire would be difficult or impossible before the borders with Turkey and Jordan were sealed, and before a list of terrorist groups operating in Syria is agreed.

Foreign Minister Walid al-Moualem, speaking in a televised news conference, said he was citing his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov, who had said "a ceasefire would not be possible before the borders with Turkey and Jordan are controlled, and before agreement on lists of terrorist organisations, it is difficult to achieve that".

Rebel groups fighting President Bashar al-Assad have received supplies via both Turkey and Jordan.

http://in.reuters.com/article/mideast-crisis-syria-ceasefire-idINKCN0VF0D7?rpc=401

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6. Kerry 'blames opposition' for continued Syria bombing, say aid workers

US Secretary of State John Kerry told aid workers involved with Syria, hours after the Geneva peace talks fell apart, that the country should expect another three months of bombing that would “decimate” the opposition.

During a conversation on the sidelines of this week’s Syria donor conference in London, sources say, Kerry blamed the Syrian opposition for leaving the talks and paving the way for a joint offensive by the Syrian government and Russia on Aleppo.

“‘He said, ‘Don’t blame me – go and blame your opposition,’” one of the aid workers, who asked to remain anonymous to protect her organisation, told MEE.

Kerry told reporters on Friday, as tens of thousands fled the Syrian government and Russian bombardment of Aleppo, that both Russia and Iran, another of Syria's allies, have told him that they are prepared for a ceasefire in Syria.

http://www.middleeasteye.net/news/opposition-blame-syrian-bombing-kerry-tells-aid-workers-1808021537

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7. Saudi Arabia, Turkey Pushed Syrian Opposition to Leave Talks

GENEVA—The Syrian opposition abruptly withdrew from peace talks in Geneva this week under pressure from Saudi Arabia and Turkey, two of the main backers of the rebels, according to diplomats and at least a half-dozen opposition figures.

When stepped-up regime offensives in Syria, backed by Iran and Russia, escalated on Monday, Riyadh and Ankara began to consider telling the opposition to withdraw, according to Turkish and Saudi diplomats present in Geneva this week with the opposition.

About a half-dozen cities and towns targeted in the new regime offensives have one thing in common: All were held by a mix of Islamist and moderate rebel groups funded and armed by Saudi Arabia and Turkey. Complicating the picture is that some, but not all, of these groups collaborate with the al Qaeda-linked Nusra Front. That gives the regime and its allies fodder for their claim that they are fighting terrorism.

“The Russian offensives were painful,” said Louay Hussein, a prominent Syrian opposition leader and a member of the delegation that was going to engage in indirect talks with the regime. “So the Saudis and Turks said: ‘Stop. These are my cards and I am losing them one after another.’ ”

http://www.wsj.com/articles/saudi-arabia-turkey-pushed-syrian-opposition-to-leave-talks-1454722008