RUSSIA and Turkey’s foreign ministers said yesterday they were working towards a ceasefire in Syria, amid reports of secret talks with extremists.

The Financial Times reported yesterday that Turkey was mediating talks in Ankara between Moscow and groups including the notorious Nour al-Din al-Zinki brigade.

“The Russians and Turks are talking without the US now. It is completely shut out of these talks, and doesn’t even know what’s going on in Ankara,” said one unidentified militant.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov hinted at such contacts at a press conference with his Turkish counterpart Mevlut Cavusoglu yesterday.

“We’ve never avoided contacts with any political groups or field commanders,” he said.

“Since our Turkish colleagues have contacts among both of them, we naturally exchange information on the moods in this area and motivate them to become part of the solution.”

But Mr Lavrov stressed his country would continue support for Syria’s offensive to liberate Aleppo until the city is “cleared of terrorists.”

The army advanced into more insurgent-held areas there yesterday north-west of the international airport. Russian sappers helped demining efforts as civilians began returning to the Hanano district liberated at the weekend.

The UN general assembly passed a resolution on Tuesday demanding Israel return parts of the Golan Heights, occupied since 1967, to Syria in line with a 1981 security council resolution.

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