Syria's Deputy Foreign Minister Faisal Mekdad (R) welcomes U.N.-Arab League peace envoy for Syria Lakhdar Brahimi at a hotel in Damascus, October 19, 2012.
International Peace Envoy Brahimi Arrives in Damascus
International peace envoy Lakhdar Brahimi arrived in Damascus Friday for talks with Syrian officials on securing a temporary cease-fire in the 19-month-old conflict between Syrian forces and rebel groups.
The U.N.-Arab League envoy is scheduled to meet Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Muallem on Saturday morning. He is also expected to meet with President Bashar al-Assad on his trip.
Lakhdar Brahimi
Lakhdar Brahimi
Named United Nations-Arab League envoy for Syria in August 2012
Appointed special advisor to U.N. Secretary-General in 2004
Headed U.N. Assistance Mission in Afghanistan from 2001 to 2004
Other U.N. posts include special representative for Haiti and South Africa
Algerian foreign minister from 1991 to 1993
Under-Secretary-General of the Arab League from 1984 to 1991
Served as Algerian ambassador to Britain, Egypt and Sudan
The peace envoy is pushing for Syrian officials to support a cease-fire during the four-day Muslim holiday of Eid al-Adha that begins October 26. He told reporters Thursday after meeting Jordan's foreign minister that a respite in hostilities could build confidence and help bring about a longer truce in the 19-month-old conflict.
Turkey's foreign minister, Ahmet Davutoglu, has also appealed to Syrian forces and rebel groups to observe the cease-fire.
On Thursday Syrian activists and medical officials said a series of government air strikes on rebel areas in the country's north had killed at least 43 people, including many children.
The activists said the strikes happened late Wednesday and early Thursday and hit five areas in Idlib and Aleppo provinces, including the rebel-held town of Maaret al-Numan which is strategically located along the Damascus-Aleppo highway. The road connects Syria's two largest cities.
Insurgents who have been attempting to cut the Syrian Army’s supply lines to Aleppo took control of Maaret al-Numan earlier this month.
A previous cease-fire in April collapsed after just a few days, with each side blaming the other. Then-mediator Kofi Annan later resigned from his post.
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