Continued carnage in Syria

From the high number of casualties in Syria, the establishment of the Russian-brokered de-escalation zones in the country, on which much hope was pinned, seems to have failed to put an end to the armed conflict and usher in peace talks between the combatants.

Moscow had predicted that with the de-escalation zones in place in this Arab country, the stage would be set for a peaceful settlement of the conflict that has been raging on for six years.

Yet, according to the London-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights in Syria, September emerged as the deadliest month of 2017, with nearly 3,000 people killed in various parts of the country. Of these, 950 were civilians, including 207 children.

The dramatic increase in the number of casualties is attributed to the intensified air strikes by Russian and regime warplanes, on the one hand, and by the US-led coalition that supports the Syrian Democratic Forces, on the other.

Both these fighting sides compete for control of the oil-rich Deir Ezzor area, which they want to wrest from Daesh terrorists.

Moreover, air strikes by Russia and the Syrian regime have also intensified in the northwestern Idlib province, where casualties among civilians, including children, have also increased dramatically in September.

If the intensification of the fighting in Syria continues, the hope generated by the de-escalation zones will soon be dashed.

Moscow, the architect of the zones of calm, should try harder to deliver on the promises made by their creation.

If the partial truce established in various regions of the country does not hold, the projection that the civil war will end in Syria will prove false.

As such, Russia should try harder to maintain the integrity of the de-escalation zones, including by reducing the rhythm of the fighting.

Syrians have suffered enough. Fighters of all stripes, especially the big powers that fight a proxy war in Syria, must reach the realisation that if the carnage continues, there will be nothing more to fight over in the country.