GENEVA — The Syrian opposition called on Wednesday for a transitional governing body to be set up that would oversee a total ceasefire under UN monitoring, and be empowered to drive out foreign fighters deployed on both sides of the civil war. The confidential paper, seen by Reuters, was presented to international mediator Lakhdar Brahimi and a Syrian government delegation at a joint session held at peace talks in Geneva. It made no mention of the fate of President Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad, but opposition forces said that he had been ignored on purpose to make clear he had no role. The Syrian government delegation said on Wednesday that negotiations must focus first on fighting terrorism and rejected parallel track talks on the opposition's priority of a transitional government as a “fruitless” idea. “The Transitional Governing Body (TGB) will prepare and oversee a total ceasefire by taking immediate measures to stop military violence, protect civilians and stabilize the country in the presence of UN observers,” the five-page document said. It calls on all parties to “cooperate with the TGB in stopping the violence including the complete withdrawal of troops and tackling the issue of decommissioning the weapons of armed groups and demobilizing its members or integrating them into the army or civil public sectors”. The Damascus delegation did not reply to the proposal, opposition spokesman Louay Safi told reporters. “At this point we have not heard any response...I would like to hear some positive response.” Mountain battle On Wednesday, more than 13 air strikes hit the government's target area around Yabroud in the frontier mountains, the British-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. Overnight clashes between Assad's forces and the opposition on the outskirts of Yabroud continued into the morning. A spokesman for the rebel unit Liwa Al-Ghuraba, said Hezbollah fighters and Assad forces were trying to position themselves on nearby hilltops to attack Yabroud. “They are gathering their forces with the hope of taking the border road,” said spokesman Abu Anas, speaking by Skype. “Right now no one is moving in Yabroud. The rebels are blocking the offensive ... The hospital is filling up with wounded.” Lebanese media said dozens wounded in Syria had been sent to Lebanese hospitals as well. The attack on Yabroud is part of what locals have called the “Battle for Qalamoun”, the name of a mountainous region along the frontier with Lebanon used by both the rebels and Assad's allies to bring in people and supplies. Assad's forces sent in envoys in the days leading up to the attack to try to convince leading citizens in nearby towns to accept a truce. Some villages accepted, but most towns, like Yabroud, refused, said the rebel Abu Anas. — Agencies
