WorldBERLINREUTERSNov 22The U.N. Special Envoy for Syria on Tuesday said he was worried that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad could launch a new offensive to crush eastern Aleppo before U.S. President-elect Donald Trump is inaugurated on Jan. 20. “I am very concerned about what can happen before Jan. 20,” de Mistura told a group of Social Democratic lawmakers. “We are very concerned (about the possibility of Assad) ... taking over in a brutal aggressive way what is left of eastern Aleppo,” he said. Russia views Assad as a bulwark against Islamist militancy, while the Obama administration is pushing for his departure. Steinmeier cited talks about bringing relief supplies into Aleppo via Turkey, but gave no details and said there were no guarantees for the success of the effort.

Source: Sunday Times November 23, 2016 11:52 UTC