Syrian Peace Talks in Doubt: Opposition Group will Walk if No Humanitarian Aid Flows

Although scheduled to meet in Geneva with United Nations envoy Staffan de Mistura on Sunday, the umbrella group representing opponents of Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad are refusing to meet unless humanitarian aid reaches besieged cities, the bombing by the regime is halted and prisoners are released – all before the meetings begin. The threat to boycott the scheduled meetings was posted on a website on Saturday, placing the responsibility on “the UN and world powers” to “stop these violations” before allowing the peace process to proceed. The Red Cross estimates 4.5 million people with “immense humanitarian needs” are living in areas unreachable because of the fighting and Doctors Without Borders is reporting that at least 16 people starved to death in one town alone out of a dozen blockaded by either the government or by rebel forces.