– Negotiations seek Syria rebel exit from Homs city
– Clashes erupt between Syria Islamists, Kurds
– Assad says his enemies boosting support for terrorists
– Germany considers sending up to 1,200 troops on Syria mission
– Russia-Turkey relations under greater strain as sanctions against Turkey announced
– EU, Turkey seek better relations at emergency refugee summit
– Iraqi military tells civilians of ISIS-held city to leave

Negotiations seek Syria rebel exit from Homs city
Negotiations are underway between the Syrian regime and rebels for the evacuation of opposition forces from the last area they hold in Homs city, the provincial governor Talal Barazi said. He said a meeting was planned for Tuesday “with the goal of reaching a final resolution of the situation in Waer,” in the west of Homs city. Barazi said a deal would “mean the evacuation of the armed men and their weapons, as well as the return of state institutions to the district.” Some 75,000 people currently live in Waer. The Local Coordination Committees, a grassroots activist network, said the meeting on Tuesday was to be held under the auspices of the United Nations. [AFP, 11/30/2015]

Clashes erupt between Syria Islamists, Kurds
At least 23 fighters have been killed in clashes between Syrian Islamist forces and an alliance led by Kurdish forces, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) said on Monday. SOHR said 15 fighters from the al-Qaeda-affiliated Nusra Front and allied groups had been killed Sunday in fighting that began last week in northern Aleppo province. The clashes also killed at least eight members of the Syrian Democratic Forces, which is dominated by the Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG). The attack, near the border region of Azaz, prompted sporadic clashes that drew in the SDF and have also seen the Nusra Front and its allies fire rockets at a Kurdish district of Aleppo city. [AFP, 11/30/2015]

Assad says his enemies boosting support for terrorists
Syrian President Bashar al-Assad told a senior Iranian official on Sunday that his adversaries had increased weapon supplies and financial support to insurgents since the start of a major offensive aided by his allies to regain lost territory. The Syrian army said that Turkey had recently increased supplies of weapons, ammunition, and equipment to what it described as terrorists in Syria and accused it of firing shells at Syrian army positions. Assad was quoted by state media as telling Ali Akbar Velayati, a top adviser to Iran’s supreme leader, that the military support his country was getting from Iran and Russia had pushed unnamed enemy states to “further escalate and increase financing and equipping of terrorists.” French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius fueled rumors by telling France’s RTL radio that regime forces could potentially join the fight against the Islamic State (ISIS or ISIL). His comments made headlines, even after Fabius said he was merely referring to a post-Assad regime. [Reuters, AFP, 11/29/2015]

Germany considers sending up to 1,200 troops on Syria mission
The German government is planning to send up to 1,200 troops to help in the fight against ISIS. Defense Ministry spokesman Jens Flosdorff said Monday that the figure would be an “upper limit” for the number of troops needed to provide support for and operate reconnaissance aircraft, tanker planes, and a warship. The cabinet is due to agree on the mission’s mandate Tuesday and put it to parliament for approval. German troops will not actively engage in combat. Foreign Ministry spokesman Martin Schaefer said, “If the Syrian regime says it’s fighting terrorists on its own territory, then it should do so, please.” [AP, 11/30/2015]

Russia-Turkey relations under greater strain as sanctions against Turkey announced
Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan has made no apology for the downing of the Russian jet along the Syrian-Turkish border, saying his nation had simply been defending its own security and the “rights of our brothers in Syria.” In retaliation, Russia will impose a package of new sanctions. The new measures against Turkey announced at a meeting chaired by Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev also include a government veto on Turkish construction firms working in Russia and restrictions on road transport. On Monday, Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu reiterated his country would not apologize to Russia for shooting down the warplane and said he hoped that Russia would reconsider sanctions. Ahmet Davutoglu said the pilot’s body was brought to the border province of Hatay “through Turkey’s initiatives” early on Sunday and will be flown back to Russia. [AP, AP, Reuters, 11/30/15]

EU, Turkey seek better relations at emergency refugee summit
European Union leaders and the Turkish Prime Minister sealed a joint summit with a commitment to reenergize Turkey’s long-stalled membership talks and bolster their common resolve to deal with the Syrian refugee crisis. Both sides got concessions: The EU desperately needs Turkish help to contain the flow of migrants into the bloc and Turkey resuscitated hopes to join a bloc in which it would, by population, become one of the largest EU member states. EU Foreign Policy Chief Federica Mogherini said that there was enough to bind both sides together. “Turkey and Europe need each other. We are facing the same problems—from the war in Syria to terrorism to the stability or instability for the region. We can be partners. We have to put all the issues we have on the table.” [AP, 11/29/15]

Iraqi military tells civilians of ISIS-held city to leave
Iraq’s military command told civilians in ISIS-held Ramadi to leave the city, a sign that an operation may soon be underway to retake the provincial capital. Monday’s statement, broadcast on Iraqi state TV, says the Ramadi families are requested to leave the city from its southern Himaira area. No further instructions or details were given. It remains unclear if the long-awaited operation to recapture Ramadi is imminent. The US-led alliance carried out seven airstrikes near Ramadi on Saturday, targeting ISIS fighters, key positions, and weapons caches. [AP, 11/30/2015]