Syrian delegation to peace talks grounded

The official Syrian government delegation to U.S.-backed peace talks was grounded in transit for several hours on Tuesday because of international sanctions against President Bashar Assad’s regime.

Authorities in Greece refused to refuel the plane until it underwent an inspection that could take up to five hours, Agence France-Presse reports. 

{mosads}“The plane has been in Athens’ airport for about four hours,” a civil aviation spokesman told the wire service. “There is a problem of refueling that is going to be resolved soon and the plane is going to set off.”

The snafu is but the latest setback to the U.S.-backed effort to reach a political settlement to the civil war that has been raging for almost three years. 

The U.N. rescinded an invitation to Iran on Monday at the Obama administration’s behest, prompting recriminations from Iran and Russia. 

Separately, Qatar on Tuesday released a report blaming the Assad regime for the “systematic killing” of some 11,000 detainees. The report, authored by three former prosecutors to international tribunals and based on evidence provided by a Syrian government defector, has spurred a call for war crimes against the regime.

Please send tips and comments to Julian Pecquet: jpecquet@digital-staging.thehill.com

Follow us on Twitter: @TheHillGlobal and @JPecquetTheHill