Riyadh-based opposition groups are not interested in lifting the siege on civilians, they are interested in leveraging humanitarian crises for military and political grains

Revealing their callousness towards Syrian civilians, Syrian opposition groups that are supported by Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Turkey insisted that the Syrian government stop its military campaign, provides aid to civilians under siege, and releases detained individuals as stated in UNSC Resolution 2254, before they take part in the indirect talks with the Syrian government. But when the Syrian government troops broke a three and half year long siege on two cities north of Aleppo, they accused the government of besieging Aleppo, not breaking a siege, and walked away from the talks. Carelessly, Western media took the same position: Instead of cheering the breaking of a siege that starved more than 60,000 civilians, they complained about Russia bombing "moderate" opposition groups and cutting supply lines to rebels inside Aleppo. It is disgusting that Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and their allies did not care that residents of two cities were starved for more than three years because they were Shi`a and continue to claim that they are helping Syrian people. Riyadh-based opposition groups are not interested in lifting the siege on civilians, they are interested in leveraging humanitarian crises for military and political grains.

The  UNSC Resolution 2254 the opposition groups are using as leverage asks both parties, the Syrian government and the rebels, the following:

Demands that all parties immediately cease any attacks against civilians and civilian objects as such..

Calls on the parties to immediately allow humanitarian agencies rapid, safe and unhindered access throughout Syria by most direct routes, allow immediate, humanitarian assistance to reach all people in need...

The Riyadh-based opposition groups had no intention to lift the siege they and their allies imposed on these cities. They wanted to use them as leverage instead and that is why they became furious when they lost that leverage. Moreover, it is not known if these opposition groups can in fact implement a ceasefire on the ground since most of the groups that are shelling civilians and denying aid organizations access are not represented in the talks.

Samples of the coverage and these events is below:

French French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius accused Damascus and Russia of "torpedoing the peace efforts" by launching an offensive near Aleppo, and said world powers would hold "in-depth consultations" on their actions at the conference.

The UN paused the fruitless peace negotiations on Wednesday as the Syrian government said it had cut a key supply route to Syria's second city from the Turkish border with the help of Russian air strikes.

It is one of several regime offensives since Moscow began bombing in September, and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Wednesday he saw no reason to stop until the "terrorists" are defeated. source

Syrian army breaks siege of Shi'ite

The Syrian army and its allies have broken a rebel siege around two Shi’ite towns in north western Syria, state media and a TV station owned by Lebanon’s Hezbollah group said on Wednesday.

Al Manar TV station said the breakthrough came after the army opened a route from towns secured in a major offensive in northern Aleppo in the last few days.

The two towns of Nubul and Zahraa have been under rebel siege for around three years.

The Syrian army also confirmed the major breakthrough.

Alongside heavy Russian aerial support, the advances have been made possible by heavy reliance on ground troops from Lebanon's Hezbollah group and Iranian backed militias which support President Bashar al Assad's government.

The army has now been able to cut through main rebel supply route from Turkey into opposition-held parts of Aleppo city that stood between government-held parts of western Aleppo and the Shi'ite villages, which are loyal to Damascus. source


Syrian army and allies breaks rebel siege of Shi'ite towns: army

The Syrian army and its allies have broken a three-year rebel siege of two Shi’ite towns in northwest Syria, government and rebel groups said on Wednesday, cutting off a main insurgent route to nearby Turkey.

The two towns of Nubul and Zahraa, with an estimated 60,000 population, are connected to the border by areas under the control of Kurdish militias that provided them some access.

...
"Less than 3 km separate the regime from cutting all routes to opposition-held Aleppo," said Rami Abdulrahman, head of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, said. "It did in three days what it failed to do in 3-1/2 years."  source