Russian Federation and the United States have persistently blamed each other for not doing enough to bolster the truce.
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Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop says there’s no point in prematurely pointing the finger of blame over the deadly bombing of a United Nations aid convoy in Syria.
Ben Rhodes, a deputy U.S. national security adviser, said the White House held Russia responsible for what he called an “enormous humanitarian tragedy” but he did not address whether the attack was carried out by Russian aircraft.
On September 9, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and US Secretary of State John Kerry presented a new plan to regulate the conflict in Syria, which included a new ceasefire that came into force on September 12. The trucks were carrying UN-supplied food, medicine, and other aid to the 78,000 people of Urm al-Kubra, a rebel-held town near Aleppo.
He also said that a U.S. Predator drone was in the area and had appeared on the scene minutes before the incident but added that “we aren’t jumping to conclusions”.
Gabriel urged the Russian leader to use his influence on Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to bring about a de-escalation in Syria. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon described the convoy strike as a “sickening, savage and apparently deliberate attack”. “We are at a make or break moment”, he said.
Mr Thomas said the ceasefire in Syria was in jeopardy because of increased violence.
GENEVA:The UN said Wednesday it was ready resume humanitarian convoys in Syria after an attack on aid trucks and a warehouse, which left 20 people dead, triggered a suspension of deliveries.
He also said a drone from the US-led coalition was in the area at the time of the strike.
He also expanded his denouncement of Russian Federation and Syria to include an airstrike on a hospital facility near Aleppo on Tuesday night that killed four aid workers.
Dr Julian Lewis, the chair of the UK Parliament’s Defence Select Committee, which has released a report calling for a more clearly thought-through strategic approach to Syria, said the attack should not prevent future co-operation.
The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said at least 13 people were killed in the attack, including nine militants, some of them belonging to the Fatah al-Sham Front, an al Qaida-linked group previously known as the Nusra Front.
“We insist on a very thorough and impartial investigation on the attack of the humanitarian convoy”, Mr Lavrov said.
On Sunday, ISIS shot down another Syrian jet in the eastern province of Deir Ezzor.
A US and Russian-brokered cease-fire that went into effect nine days ago is on the brink of collapse, with the government and the rebels alleging dozens of violations.
But Russia, a Syrian ally, denies being involved and its defence ministry says a United States drone was in the area where the aid convoy was struck.
A senior Pentagon official on Wednesday denied any coalition aircraft were anywhere near the site of the attack.
Monday’s strike sparked worldwide outrage and prompted an exasperated United Nations to suspend all humanitarian convoys across Syria.
“There are only two countries that have planes that are flying during the night or flying in that particular area at all”, the State Department chief said in his speech.
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He believes there still is a willingness to find a solution and it was encouraging that a special group on Syria, involving the USA and Russian Federation, planned to have another discussion on the issue on Saturday.
