Russia's Deputy Foreign Minister told Reuters Tuesday that the Syrian government will attend the second round of peace talks with the opposition that is scheduled to commence Feb. 10 in Geneva.
Deputy FM Mikhail Bogdanov told reporters in Moscow, "We have no doubt that the government delegation will take part in the second round of international talks in Geneva."
Bogdanov's comments come ahead of Russia's first official meting with Syrian opposition leader, Ahmed Jarba.
In related news Tuesday, the Associated Press and Agence France Presse reported Tuesday that Syrian regime forces dropped more barrel bombs on Aleppo, with AFP reporting the death toll having reached thirty thus far.
Aleppo Media Center activist Hassoun Abu Faisal reported that one of the barrel bombs struck a mosque in the Masaken Hanano rebel-held neighborhood. According to Abu Faisal, the mosque is also used as a school, and some children who were inside the mosque at the time of the attack were among five killed.
The Syrian Observatory of Human Rights reported that at least 85 people were killed Saturday from air strikes and barrel bomb attacks.
