Russia Defends Syrian Attacks in Ghouta; France Warns About Afrin

While the European Union and the United Nations are calling for the immediate implementation of the ceasefire emphasized by the Security Council in Syria, Russia defended the recent two-day attacks in Eastern Ghouta. At the same time, France reminded Turkey that Afrin is also not exempt from the proposed ceasefire. Following the Security Council's resolution on Saturday night calling for an immediate one-month ceasefire across Syria, reports indicate that at least 24 people were killed in the recent airstrikes by the Syrian army in Eastern Ghouta. Additionally, Turkey announced that despite welcoming the ceasefire, its military operations against Kurdish militants in Afrin will continue. The events on Sunday and Monday in Syria prompted UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to call on Monday for an immediate ceasefire in Syria to end the 'hell on earth.' Federica Mogherini, the EU's foreign policy chief, also described the UN's proposal for an immediate ceasefire as an encouraging step that must be completed with action. However, in Russia, the Kremlin spokesman stated that the situation in Eastern Ghouta is in a state of alert, and militants in the area have taken civilians hostage. Dmitry Peskov emphasized on Monday that 'terrorists have not laid down their weapons and have taken local residents hostage. This is the reason for the current tense situation.' He also reiterated the Russian Defense Minister's claim that Moscow has information indicating the possible use of chemical weapons by militants in Eastern Ghouta. In this context, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov announced on Monday that the ceasefire in Syria does not include the battle of Damascus against what he calls 'terrorists.' He specifically mentioned the al-Nusra Front and stated that the militants of this group in Eastern Ghouta and Idlib will not be protected under this ceasefire agreement, and the ceasefire in Syria will begin when all parties agree on how to implement it. The Russian Foreign Minister also called the claims about the possible use of chlorine gas in Eastern Ghouta 'provocative' and stated that he expects 'false statements' regarding the alleged use of chemical weapons in Syria to be published in the future. He noted that these statements are either aimed at sabotaging the ceasefire agreement. He also said he is awaiting explanations from Washington regarding actions that he claims 'violate the territorial integrity' of Syria. The Security Council's resolution for establishing a ceasefire in Syria does not include ISIS, al-Qaeda, and the al-Nusra Front, and previously Iran, through the Chief of Staff of its Armed Forces, had stated that the Islamic Republic and Syria are committed to this ceasefire, noting that areas of the outskirts of Damascus controlled by 'terrorist groups' are not subject to the ceasefire, and 'attacks and cleanups by the Syrian army will continue.' The Syrian government has described all opposition groups to Bashar al-Assad as 'terrorist groups,' and its main supporters, namely Russia and Iran, use the same terminology for Assad's opponents. Meanwhile, according to reports, Emmanuel Macron, the President of France, emphasized in a phone call with his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan that the Security Council's proposed ceasefire also includes the Afrin region. This area in northern Syria, bordering Turkey, is where the Turkish army is suppressing Syrian Kurdish militants under the pretext of combating 'terrorists.' According to the French presidential palace, Mr. Macron emphasized in this phone call that the ceasefire sought by the Security Council 'covers all of Syrian territory, including Afrin, and it is necessary that this ceasefire be implemented everywhere and by everyone without delay.' Turkey considers the Kurdish group known as the People's Protection Units in Syria as a terrorist group linked to the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) and has been conducting operations against this group in northern Syria for the past month. In the phone conversation between the presidents of France and Turkey, Mr. Macron also expressed his deep concern about the situation in Eastern Ghouta and emphasized that his country's concerns regarding access to humanitarian aid in this area and the possible use of chemical weapons remain. However, on Sunday, it was announced that the Czech Republic had arrested the former leader of the Syrian Democratic Union Party, and Turkey stated on Monday that it had provided the necessary documents for the extradition of 'Saleh Muslim' to the Czech Republic. Saleh Muslim was arrested on Saturday at the request of the Turkish government and an 'Interpol Red Notice' in Prague, while a Kurdish official close to him stated that the purpose of Mr. Muslim's trip to Prague was to attend a conference. Saleh Muslim's name has been on Turkey's 'most wanted list' since February with a reward of one million dollars. The Turkish Ministry of Justice claims that Mr. Muslim is accused of involvement in a car bomb explosion in March 2016 in Istanbul that left 36 dead and 125 injured. The Democratic Union Party condemned Saleh Muslim's arrest in a statement, accusing Czech officials of committing an 'illegal and unethical' act.