The Taliban, which has launched violent attacks throughout Afghanistan and gave al Qaeda sanctuary when it was in power, has come out and condemned "what they consider to be a massacre" by the Syrian government in Aleppo, Syria, CNN reported Wednesday.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan was set to talk with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday to discuss the current bombing in Aleppo after an hours-long ceasefire that both countries brokered between the regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and rebels collapsed. CNN's Kate Bolduan asked correspondent Nick Paton Walsh what Erdogan and Putin could accomplish on Syria.
"Well, Turkey has made it clear that they want to ensure this humanitarian corridor out of eastern Aleppo goes through, that people get out," Walsh said. "Now, that's partly because of Turkey's regional role of protecting the Sunni [Muslims] in the region."
He said that the conversation was possibly for Erdogan to ask Putin to pressure Assad's regime, which has effectively taken the city of Aleppo from rebels. Pro-Assad forces have reportedly committed atrocities such as mass executions against civilians in Aleppo.
"Perhaps he's [Erdogan] looking to President Putin to lay pressure on the Assad regime and ensure that that evacuation actually goes through, but we are down to the wire here, though," Walsh said.
The ceasefire had called for buses to transport civilians and rebel fighters out of the city to safety, but the buses were called off when fighting resumed Wednesday morning.
Walsh started to discuss how devastating the Syrian civil war has been as it continues into its sixth year, especially the recent turn that has involved pro-Assad forces entering civilian households and executing residents.
"This is a turning point in the war, certainly, in terms of rebel losses, but it may also be one of the more seismic massacres here," he said. "Just bare in mind, if the killing stops here that doesn't mean this chapter is finished."
Walsh then said that the Taliban thinks what is unfolding in Aleppo is horrific.
"We are already hearing the Taliban in Afghanistan condemning what they consider to be the massacre in Aleppo," Walsh said.
He then described what is happening in Aleppo as "brutal," adding that it will likely continue going forward and fuel sectarian tensions between Sunni and Shi'ite Muslims.
Walsh also said that what will be remembered is the lack of help from the international community.
"This will go on in the minds of jihadists and, frankly disenfranchised angry Sunni Muslims across the world in the years to come, as a totem frankly of how brutal the Syrian war has been, how little the international community seems to care to actually intervene and stop it," he said.