UN hints at Syria peace talks delay

The United Nations yesterday said that crucial talks on ending the Syria conflict would likely be delayed by a few days, as a dispute over who will represent the opposition intensified.

The talks, due to start in Geneva on Monday, are part of the biggest diplomatic push yet to resolve a civil war that in nearly five years has left more than 260,000 dead and forced millions from their homes.

World powers agreed last year in Vienna on an 18-month roadmap that would lead to the peace talks, a transitional government and then elections.

But the office of UN Syria envoy Staffan de Mistura, who is hosting the talks, said the January 25 deadline for the start of talks would probably be missed by a day or two.

Meanwhile, US Secretary of State John Kerry said the US-led coalition bombing Islamic State strongholds in Syria and Iraq will reach their goal of "seriously denting" the group by the end of 2016.

"I think that by the end of 2016, our goal of very seriously denting Daesh in Iraq and Syria and of trying to have an impact on Mosul and Raqa will be achieved," Kerry told reporters on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos, using an alternative name for Islamic State (IS).

"We are on track, we are doing serious damage to Daesh today. They lost 35 percent, 40 percent of their territory that they control, 40 percent in Iraq, 20 percent to 30 percent total," he said.

Kerry said he would meet the foreign ministers of 24 coalition nations in Rome on February 2 to discuss strategy and possible "additional commitments".