Syrian rebels to attend peace talks in Kazakhstan

Syrian rebel groups have confirmed that they will attend peace talks with the Government in Asthana, Kazakhstan next week. A leader of rebel group, Jaysh al-Islam, Mohammed Alloush, said, he would head the rebel delegation. 

After the meeting of rebels in Turkey yesterday, Alloush said they are going to Astana for talks. The truce excludes the jihadist groups Islamic State and Jabhat Fateh



al-Sham, known as al-Nusra Front. Russia, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's most powerful ally, set the new diplomatic effort in motion after the rebels suffered a major defeat last month by losing control of districts of eastern Aleppo they had held for nearly four years. 

The talks beginning on January 23 are the latest bid to put an end to the brutal war raging in Syria since March 2011.