US Secretary of State John Kerry responded with a call on Syria and Russian Federation to end aerial bombardment of eastern Aleppo, stating that there was “no chance” of peace without an end to military operations and coordination between the parties.
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Syrian President Bashar Assad says USA airstrikes on Syrian troops in the country’s east were “definitely intentional”, lasting for an hour, and blamed the US for the collapse of a cease-fire deal brokered with Russian Federation.
So it was especially depressing Wednesday when Kerry confessed in a speech at the United Nations that he entertained “profound doubt” about whether Russian Federation and the government of Syrian President Bashar Assad were serious about living up to their commitments to reduce violence and make it possible for humanitarian aid to be distributed. He cited USA inability to control “terrorist” groups and a weekend attack that killed dozens of Syrian soldiers.
Syria’s military command for Aleppo says it is commencing operations in the contested city’s rebel-held eastern quarters. Millions have fled Syria, some of them drowning at sea in the Mediterranean.
Washington had said initially that Russia was to blame, but that the strike delivered by a Russian-made Su-24 could have been carried out by Russia or Syria.
Assad denied using chlorine gas and barrel bombs against civilians.
“Those witnesses only appear when there’s an accusation against the Syrian army or the Russian (army), but when the terrorists commit a crime or massacre. you don’t see any witnesses”, he said.
Russian Federation and the U.S. negotiated the latest truce plan, but Syria ended the week-long ceasefire on Monday following a US-led coalition strike on a Syrian army post.
Laerke told AFP in an email that this was the first convoy to head towards a besieged area since Monday’s attack on a humanitarian convoy which killed around 20 people, including a Red Cross staffer.
In another sign of the Syrian government’s determination to press on with seizing and holding territory, it evacuated more rebel fighters from the last opposition-held district of Homs, which would complete the government’s recapture of the central city, now largely reduced to ruins.
A furious Kerry then told the entire room, Lavrov included, that “even while we are meeting here, they are doing this”, said the official, who wasn’t authorized to speak publicly on the matter and demanded anonymity. USA officials said the attack – the first direct hit on Syrian forces since the civil war began – was accidental and that the warplanes meant to target Islamic State group positions. The Pentagon said no drone was in the area at the time.
It said there would be “no punishment or arrest for any citizen who reaches the checkpoints of the Syrian Arab army”, and that it had “taken all measures to receive civilians and secure their shelter”.
The nation’s top military officials are likely to face sharp questions on Thursday from Republicans angry the Obama administration is not taking more aggressive steps to end the 5-year-old-civil war in Syria.
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He says it underlines how vital it is for the worldwide community to “achieve a political solution that gives the Syrian people a voice in their future”. “I would only give a prize to whoever works for the peace in Syria”.
