Details regarding the proposed safe zones remain unavailable and Trump has yet to outline his administration’s Syria policy. He has, however, indicated that he would expect safe zones to be paid for by other nations in the region, not the United States. The Syrian opposition and its main ally, Turkey, have long clamored for a safe zone, although boundaries have never been established. Failing to provide sufficient troops, many observers warn, could bring about a repeat of the Srebrenica massacre in 1995, when the U.N. declared a safe zone and then saw Serb militias slaughter thousands. Safe zones also would give the opposition a much-needed respite from the relentless airstrikes waged by Russia and Syrian warplanes.

Source: Los Angeles Times January 26, 2017 22:18 UTC