Syrian opposition chief negotiator Mohamed Aloush.

The Bashar al-Assad regime is sending a “bloody” message ahead of the Geneva talks by intensifying attacks against the opposition-controlled areas, Syrian opposition’s Higher Negotiations Council (HNC) said.

According to the HNC, Assad’s regime forces have neither honored the agreed ceasefire nor respected outcome of the recent negotiations that took place in the Uzbekistani capital of Astana.

The Russian side, whose diplomats mediated the Astana talks, could not influence Assad into respecting the ceasefire, the HNC added.

The HNC described Assad’s acts as attempting to abort any political resolution to the Syrian conflict, adding that the opposition will strongly respond to Assad forces’ escalation.