Syria in turmoil
In regard to the article by James Roberts (“While factions fight, children die”, 22 October), I would like to point out that Baroness Cox and I, with our small group, went to Syria in September at the invitation of religious leaders, both Christian and Muslim. It was only after we reached Damascus that we were asked to meet President Assad, something that some British parliamentarians have done before now.

Roberts writes that the US and Britain have stopped demanding that the Assads go immediately, but I believe it is still a precondition that they leave after a transitional period. He is also right that the so-called “moderate armed opposition” has largely gone over or been taken over by far more extreme jihadi groups.

How does Roberts know that 250,000 people remain in rebel-held east Aleppo under “barbaric siege”? The real number could be much lower.

Few in Britain, or the world, know that the United Nations and apparently also the Russians, separately offered safe passage out of east Aleppo to fighters and civilians alike, but this was refused by the jihadis. Perhaps such offers can yet be accepted, in line with the Pope’s appeal.