– Kerry says there will be no ‘fundamental delay’ in Syria talks 
– France says air strikes against ISIS will accelerate
– United States, France condemn Russia’s role in Syria
– Turkey plans operation in Syria as part of international movement to dismantle ISIS
– Hundreds of army trainers needed for Mosul recapture

Kerry says there will be no ‘fundamental delay’ in Syria talks
US Secretary of State John Kerry said on Thursday that talks between Syria’s government and opposition groups this month may be delayed by a day or two, but will face no fundamental delay. The Syrian government’s UN envoy Bashar al-Jaafari will be the government’s chief negotiator for the regime, a government source said. The chief negotiator for the opposition will be Mohammed Alloush, the political leader of Jaysh al-Islam. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov rejected suggestions that negotiations might be delayed until February amid disagreements over who will represent the opposition. Diplomats remain divided on key areas of political transition, opposition versus terrorist groups, as well as the fight against the Islamic State (ISIS or ISIL). Lavrov stressed though that the United Nations was leading the process and the start date would ultimately be determined by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and his envoy for Syria Staffan De Mistura. [Reuters, AP, AFP, 1/21/16]

France says air strikes against ISIS will accelerate
French President Francois Hollande said Thursday that a coalition waging a bombing campaign against ISIS group would intensify air strikes. “The pace of the interventions will be accelerated and France will play its role in this,” Hollande said in a speech to ambassadors. His comments came after a meeting by the defense ministers of seven countries in the coalition, who said their strategy was to dislodge ISIS from its power centers of Raqqa and Mosul in Iraq and Syria. “They also decided to reinforce support to Arab and Kurdish forces fighting Daesh on the ground,” he said, using an alternative name for ISIS. Hollande told ambassadors that 2016 must be a “year of transition” in Syria. [AP, AFP, 1/21/2016]

United States, France condemn Russia’s role in Syria
The US and French defense ministers on Wednesday condemned Moscow’s role in the Syrian conflict, saying Russian jets should stop targeting the opposition forces fighting ISIS. “The Russians are on the wrong track strategically and also in some cases tactically,” said US Defense Secretary Ashton Carter after a meeting in Paris of seven defense ministers in the coalition fighting ISIS. “We don’t have a basis for broader cooperation [with Russia],” Carter said. His French counterpart Jean-Yves Le Drian said, “We hope that Russia will concentrate its efforts against Daesh [ISIS] and stop bombing the groups of the uprising [nationalist rebels] who themselves are fighting Daesh.” [AFP, 1/21/2016]

Turkey plans operation in Syria as part of international movement to dismantle ISIS
Turkish sources stated that Ankara is preparing for a ground operation in Jarabulus, near the Syrian-Turkish borders and under the control of ISIS, in the next few days. The sources said a minesweeper has arrived at Kilis, a city in south-central Turkey near the border with Syria and is scheduled to begin demining the areas planted with mines by ISIS. Fawzi Jan Berdi, an MP in the Turkish Parliament of the Development and Justice Party (AKP), has revealed that Turkey’s preparation for the military operations will continue in order to preserve the security of its citizens. Meanwhile, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights has cited that Rmelan airport, which will be used by US aircraft in operations against ISIS, is almost ready after expanding its runway the last few weeks. [Asharq Al-Awsat, 1/21/2016]

Hundreds of army trainers needed for Mosul recapture
Iraqi security forces will need help from hundreds of military trainers ahead of a planned assault to recapture the city of Mosul from ISIS, said Col. Steve Warren, spokesman for Operation Inherent Resolve, on Wednesday. Following recent successes against ISIS, including the recapture of Ramadi by US-backed local forces, the Pentagon is now pushing Iraq to launch an assault on Mosul. The US Defense Secretary Ashton Carter called upon the US-led coalition countries to greatly increase the numbers of trainers to train the Iraqi Security Forces (ISF) and Kurdish Peshmerga who are fighting ISIS on the ground. [AFP, Al Arabiya English, Rudaw, 1/21/2016]