Terrorists try to avoid defeat in Aleppo: Pundit

​Press TV has conducted an interview with Tim Anderson, a senior lecturer at the University of Sydney, about the situation in the Syrian city of Aleppo. The Syrian government has tried to open corridors for the civilians to flee militant-held areas in Aleppo, but the terrorists’ attacks have left 30 dead and 210 wounded in last 24 hours.

The interview is a rough transcription of the interview.

Press TV: Looking at the situation at hand right now when it comes to Aleppo it’s quite clear that the human toll is increasing by the hours. How do you think it is going to pan out is that final push for Aleppo it’s going to take place soon?

Anderson: I think it’s the last stand for al-Qaeda groups and what we’ve seen on the last two days is that there’s been a counter-offensive coordinated between the group that used to be called Jabhat al-Nusra and Daesh in the East. So, there’s a large counter-offensive to try and avoid this looming defeat.

Press TV: Well, now that we are at the situation we’re seeing already 30 people killed in the past 24 hours. You would expect more governments specifically in the West to support this humanitarian corridor scheme that the Syrian government has brought about to get civilians out of the militant-controlled Aleppo. Why aren’t they supporting it though?

Anderson: They aren’t supporting it because they’re still trying to spin it as though as they have for many years really that it is any initiative like this is really attract to try and kill civilians. So, the propaganda war is very intense now, because everyone sees that the Syrian alliance is winning. And unfortunately this propaganda war is playing out right to the end. And the image of the Western-backed moderates, what they used to call moderates, is still important to them. So, unfortunately this propaganda war is masking the humanitarian issue that you just mentioned.

Press TV: But, Mr. Anderson, wouldn’t this propaganda war on the power of the Western governments to sort of show what their goals are and how very different they are from standing up for civilians in Syria when they speak of democracy and humanitarian situation it’s very far removed from that, now isn’t it?

Anderson: It is very far removed from that and unfortunately although we have to keep drawing attention to the humanitarian concerns, it’s the image of the big powers that matters and their image in terms of masking their direct support for the most extremist groups in the region is really what matters to them. We have to keep appealing to them but unfortunately they in many respects see little people as expendable that’s too sad truth. That doesn’t remove our responsibility for drawing attention to the situation, but they’re much more concerned as to how they see their own image in the end game that’s going on now in Syria.

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