Kerry seeks deal to stop Assad regime's barrel bombs

Caricature of Obama, Assad and Putin for world story on the Islamic State crisis in Syria. Photo / Rod Emmerson

The United States is considering a possible deal whereby Russia and Iran would stop Syria's regime dropping barrel bombs on civilians in return for concessions from Washington, US Secretary of State John Kerry said.

Having accepted that President Bashar al-Assad will stay in power for a "transitional period", the US is trying to persuade Russia and Iran to curb the worst excesses of their ally.

Assad's forces have killed at least 11,000 civilians by using helicopters to drop barrels packed with explosives, shrapnel and flammable liquid. Kerry said that forcing the regime to stop using these weapons - which breach international humanitarian law - was a priority. He told the BBC that he had raised this issue with Sergei Lavrov, the Russian Foreign Minister, and with Iranian officials.

"They are both in a position, in exchange perhaps for something that we might do, they might decide to keep Assad from dropping barrel bombs."

Kerry also raised the possibility of localised ceasefires in Syria - something that has already happened in various areas of the country. "We have to save Syria. The world has to save Syria. This has dramatic implications for the entire region globally."

What the US might offer Russia and Iran in return for restraining Assad was not made clear. American officials believe that Russia in particular has significant leverage over the Syrian leader. Kerry spoke as world leaders participated in a counter-terrorism summit hosted by US President Barack Obama in New York.

The US yesterday tightened financial pressure on Isis (Islamic State), imposing sanctions and penalties on more than 30 leaders, supporters and affiliates. Russia was invited to the counter-terrorism summit but President Vladimir Putin is pushing a rival plan to create a broad UN-led coalition to fight the jihadists.

Russia has intervened by deploying jet fighters and troops to bolster Assad's forces. But Laurent Fabius, the French Foreign Minister, pointed out that this was of little help in the struggle against Isis. "The international community is striking Daesh. France is striking Daesh. The Russians, for the time being, are not at all," said Fabius, using the Arabic acronym for Isis.

French authorities have launched a criminal investigation of Assad's regime for alleged war crimes committed between 2011 and 2013. Paris prosecutors opened a preliminary war crimes inquiry on September 15. The investigation is focusing on evidence provided by a former Syrian Army photographer known by the codename "Caesar", who defected and fled the country in 2013, bringing with him some 55,000 graphic photographs of scenes from the brutal conflict.

- Telegraph Group Ltd, AFP