PHOTO: US Secretary of State John Kerry and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov

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Analysis: Russia’s Race Against Time to Save the Regime

UPDATE 1930 GMT: Friday’s talks in Vienna have ended with enough “common ground” for another round in two weeks.

“There were tough coversations today,” US Secretary of State John Kerry said. “This is the beginning of a new diplomatic process.”

Kerry said there were significant differences over the Assad regime “but we cannot allow the differences get in the way of diplomacy to end the killing”.

French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius echoed, “There are points of disagreement, but we advanced enough for us to meet again, in the same configuration, in two weeks,” while the European Union’s foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini said there was hope after a “historic meeting”.

Russia’s Sergei Lavrov went farther in claiming an advance on arrangements:

One of the most important agreements reached today is that the participants in the meeting ask the United Nations to organize a meeting between representatives of the Syrian government and the opposition to kick off political process….

We have agreed that elections in Syria are to be held with active participation and control by the United Nations, and that all Syrian citizens, including refugees in neighboring state, should take part in these elections

However, even as he spoke of a meeting between the regime and those challenging it, Lavrov said that the latter did not exist as an acceptable movement: “We do not yet see a representative delegation of the opposition.”

A Russia-led, international conference opens in Vienna on Friday, with Moscow hoping to keep Syria’s President Bashar al-Assad in power, at least for the short-term during a “political transition”.

Those attending the discussions include the US; European countries such as Britain, France, Germany, and Italy; regional states such as Lebanon, Jordan, and Iraq; Assad’s foes Turkey and Saudi Arabia; and — for the first time in Syrian talks — Assad’s ally Iran.

The meeting is already a victory for Russia’s military intervention in Syria, with bombing — mainly of rebels — since September 30. The attacks helped spur the US, Germany, Britain, and even Turkey to say Assad can remain for up to six months while a resolution is sought.

However, Saudi Arabia is maintaining a tough line, with Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir repeating on Thursday that Assad will be removed, either through political pressure or through military action.

The Assad regime, responding through Information Minister Omran al-Zoubi, said Jubeir was “clueless” and should “keep his mouth closed.”

However, a “senior Gulf diplomat” was unyielding: “They are inviting the vultures to the banquet table. And they expect them to wear napkins and be nice to the waiters.”

Lavrov, Kerry, and Zarif Hold Talks

Meanwhile, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov tried to prepare the ground for negotiations favorable to Moscow, with conversations with US Secretary of State John Kerry and with Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif.

Kerry also met Zarif on Thursday evening, discussing implementation of the recent nuclear deal between Iran and the 5+1 Powers as well as Syrian matters.

Russian Deputy Minister Mikhail Bogdanov repeated the claim that he had met representatives of Syria’s opposition, including the Free Syrian Army, in Moscow and Cairo.

Both the FSA and the externally-based opposition Syrian National Coalition have firmly denied that they spoke with the Russians. However, FSA commander Mustafa Seijari confirmed that “sources close to Moscow” approached “a number of aligned rebel factions, requesting a meeting with Russian negotiators in an unspecified place and time”.

Seijari said the groups will meet in the coming days to decide on the Russian request. He added that, if the rebels agreed to a discussion, it will be to identify Moscow’s attitude towards the fate of President Assad and to stop further Russian bombing.

US Deputy Secretary of State Antony Blinken says the US is still insisting that President Assad cannot be part of the long-term settlement in Syria, but he admits, “There is something new here, and that is Russia’s role.”

US to Insert Special Operations Forces With Kurdish Militia

The White House has said that “under 50” special operations personnel will be placed inside northern Syria.

Press secretary Josh Earnest said the move was support of Secretary of State John Kerry’s push for a diplomatic settlement: “The president has been quite clear that there is no military solution….There is a political one.”

Earnest insisted that US “strategy in Syria hasn’t changed” and that “these forces do not have a combat mission”.

Earlier,unnamed sources confirmed that the Administration will publicly announce the deployment.

One US official said President Obama will authorize the insertion of about 20 to 30 troops on the frontline. While the sources said the personnel would assist “moderate rebels”, they are likely to work with Kurdish militia east of the Euphrates River.

Last month, General Lloyd Austin, the head of US forces in the Middle East, indicated that special forces were already inside Syria, although the Pentagon later clarified the statement to say the US units were operating from Turkey. Last week, Defense Secretary Ashton Carter said the US would escalate aerial attacks on the Islamic State, as well as carrying out raids and supporting a ground offensive in northern Syria.

7 Senior Iranian Officers, 23 Fighters Killed Since October 7

The Levantine Group sets out the Iranian and Iranian-commanded units — including infantry, airborne forces, paramilitary units, and militia — fighting in Syria. It says that at least 30 Iranian troops, including three Generals and four Colonels, have been slain since October 7, as well as at least three Afghans and one Pakistani:

Brother of Leading Syrian Commander Hassan Reportedly Killed in Action

Colonel Hassan Hassan, the brother of prominent Syrian commander Colonel Sohail “The Tiger” Hassan, has reportedly been killed in action.

The news was circulated by opposition activist Bassam Jaara before being picked up by the Saudi outlet al-Arabiya. The death has not been acknowledged by the Assad regime.

Reports: 100+ Killed in Regime Bombing of Douma, Near Damascus, and Aleppo

Reports are circulating of more than 100 deaths on Friday from bombing of opposition-held areas in Douma, near Damascus, and in Aleppo Province.

The Local Coordinating Committees say at least 40 people are dead after the Syrian air force fired 11 missiles on the town. The airstrikes and shelling, at around 7 a.m., hit an open-air market.

A photo from the White Helmets civil defense organization:

DOUMA BODIES 30-10-15

DOUMA BODIES

Douma has been bombarded for years in a regime efforts to break civilians and rebels, notably the leading faction Jaish al-Islam. It was also hit on Thursday, with up to 18 people killed.

Activists say that more than 60 people were killed on Friday in Aleppo — it is unclear if the attacks were by the Syrian air force, Russian warplanes, or both.

Aftermath of an attack on the Fardous district:

Reports: Journalists Beheaded in Turkey by Islamic State Supporters

Two journalists, including a member of the activist group “Raqqa is Being Slaughtered Silently”, have been murdered in Turkey.

RBSS said its member, Ibrahim Abdul Kader, and Fares Hammadi were found beheaded in Şanlıurfa, near the Syrian border. The group said supporters of the Islamic State are likely responsible.

Kader was the executive director and Hamadi the head of the production department for Eye on the Homeland, a Syrian media collective.

RBSS was formed to report on the Islamic State’s rule, including abuses of civilians, in the ISIS center of Raqqa in northern Syria. The militants have controlled the city, Syria’s 7th-largest, since autumn 2013.

Video: How Rebels in Latakia Are Protecting Themselves from Airstrikes and Snipers

Bilal Abdul Kareem reports from a rebel position in Latakia Province, explaining how fighters protect themselves from airstrikes — including by Russian warplanes — and snipers:

Report: 7 Hezbollah Killed by Russian “Friendly Fire”

Reports are circulating that seven Hezbollah fighters have been killed by an errant Russian airstrike.

“Informed military sources” said that a low-flying Russian aircraft, possibly an attack helicopter, hit the Hezbollah position. The location was not given.