Syrian opposition likens Palmyra battles to "Tom and Jerry" show

Record ID: 348073

  • Title: Syrian opposition likens Palmyra battles to "Tom and Jerry" show
  • Date: 2nd March 2017
  • Summary: GENEVA, SWITZERLAND (MARCH 2, 2017) (REUTERS) EXTERIOR OF UNITED NATIONS BUILDING CONVOY OF HEAD OF SYRIAN OPPOSITION NEGOTIATING TEAM NASR AL-HARIRI ARRIVING FOR MEETING WITH U.N. SPECIAL ENVOY FOR SYRIA STAFFAN DE MISTURA SIGN READING (French and English): 'DOOR A13' AL-HARIRI WALKING OUT OF HIS CAR, SHAKING HANDS WITH OFFICIALS, WALKS INTO BUILDING BUS CARRYING REST OF
  • Embargoed: 16th March 2017 21:18
  • Keywords: Syria Geneva Switzerland peace talks Bashar al-Assad opposition Islamic State
  • Location: GENEVA, SWITZERLAND
  • City: GENEVA, SWITZERLAND
  • Country: Switzerland
  • Topics: Conflicts/War/Peace,Military Conflicts
  • Reuters ID: LVA001669R2VB
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: The Syrian opposition declined to congratulate Syrian President Bashar al-Assad on retaking historic Palmyra from Islamic State militants on Thursday (March 2) and suggested the sight of the city changing hands again was risible.
    "This is the second time that we see this handover and this is obviously being used for political reasons," chief opposition negotiator Nasr al-Hariri told reporters in Geneva, adding he considered both sides to be terrorists.
    "If we want to follow the game of Assad and Palmyra, it will be like watching Tom and Jerry."
    Earlier, the Syrian government's chief negotiator Bashar al-Ja'afari had hailed Assad for keeping his promise to retake the ancient city of Palmyra, and vowed every last inch of Syria would be retaken from foreign terrorists.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2017. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
  • Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
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