SYRIA peace talks in Kazakhstan’s capital Astana quickly turned stormy yesterday with the government and insurgents trading verbal blows.

Proceedings had started promisingly, with the opposition sitting down at the same table as the Syrian delegation, something they refused to do in the Geneva talks last year.

But Syrian UN ambassador Bashar al-Jaafari condemned insurgent delegation leader Mohammed Alloush after the latter described the Syrian government as “terrorist” and called for its allies to be placed on the list of terrorist organisations, along with Isis and al-Qaida.