ASTANA -- Syrian rebels began peace talks with the war-torn country's government Monday (January 23) in Kazakhstan's capital Astana, but refused to negotiate face to face in the first session.
The talks had been billed as the first time armed rebel groups were due to negotiate with President Bashar al-Assad's regime since the conflict erupted in 2011.
But rebel spokesman Yehya al-Aridi told AFP the opposition backed out of the first round of direct talks because of the regime's continued bombardment and attacks on a flashpoint area near Damascus.
It remained unclear whether the two sides would negotiate directly later.
