US suspends Syria ceasefire talks with Russia

The United States on Monday suspended negotiations with Russia on efforts to revive a failed ceasefire in Syria and set up military co-ordination to target militants.

"This is not a decision that was taken lightly," State Department spokesman John Kirby said, accusing Russia and its Syrian ally of stepping up attacks on civilian areas.

White House spokesman Josh Earnest added: "Everybody's patience with Russia has run out.

"There is nothing more for the US and Russia to talk about with regard to trying to reach an agreement that would reduce the levels of violence inside of Syria. And that's tragic," Earnest said.

He added that Russia had lost credibility by "making a series of commitments without any indication they were committed to following them".

Kirby said the Russian and US militaries would continue to use a communications channel set up to ensure their forces do not get in each other's way during "counterterrorism operations in Syria".

But the US is calling home personnel who were in Geneva looking at creating a "joint implementation centre" with Russian officers to plan coordinated strikes against Islamic State and the former al-Qaeda group Jabhat Fateh al-Sham.

US diplomats will also suspend discussions with Russia on reviving a deal reached between John Kerry, the secretary of state, and his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov on 9 September.

Under that protocol, a truce came into effect on 12 September, but it collapsed within a week amid bitter recriminations and a surge of fighting in the five-year war.

Washington has accused Moscow of failing to rein in Syrian government forces and abetting strikes on civilian targets.

Moscow, meanwhile, says the United States failed to separate "moderate" anti-government rebels from militants linked to al-Qaeda.

"Unfortunately, Russia failed to live up to its own commitments, including its obligations under international humanitarian law," Kirby said.

He added that Russia was "either unwilling or unable to ensure Syrian regime adherence to the arrangements to which Moscow agreed".

"Rather, Russia and the Syrian regime have chosen to pursue a military course, inconsistent with the cessation of hostilities, as demonstrated by their intensified attacks against civilian areas."

Kirby accused Moscow and Damascus of "targeting of critical infrastructure such as hospitals, and preventing humanitarian aid from reaching civilians in need". 

And he repeated Washington's charge that Russia and the Syrian government were responsible for the deadly September 19 attack on a United Nations aid convoy in northern Syria, outside Aleppo.

The UN's Syria envoy voiced deep disappointment at the collapse of the talks, but vowed to keep working for a political solution.

"The UN will continue to push energetically for a political solution of the Syrian conflict regardless of the very disappointing outcome of intense and long discussions among two crucial international stakeholders," the office of Staffan de Mistura said in a statement.

This article is available in French on Middle East Eye French edition.