Russian Defence Ministry spokesman Major-General Igor Konashenkov said in an emailed statement to the AP news agency that both “terrorists and the opposition” are using the truce to “boost their forces and prepare for renewed hostilities”.
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“That process is continuing and we’ll see where we are in the course of the day”, he said.
Russian Federation and Syria said the strikes prove Washington and its allies are sympathetic to ISIS, which they say was able to briefly capture a Syrian position in the wake of the coalition attack.
The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said on Monday that 29 children and teenagers are among those killed, as well as 17 women.
The US-led raid on Saturday evening hit a Syrian army post near the eastern city of Deir Ezzor, where government forces have been fighting off IS jihadists since a year ago.
The SOHR said it was not known who conducted the strikes, which were the first in Aleppo since the ceasefire took effect last Monday. “Humanitarian aid must remain neutral, impartial and free of political and military agendas”, he said. The convoy brought in food, water and hygiene supplies for up to 84,000 people, it said.
Two 20-truck United Nations aid convoys destined for eastern Aleppo with enough supplies to feed 185,000 people for a month had remained blocked since early last week on the Syrian border, a United Nations spokesman said Monday.
“I am pained and disappointed that a United Nations convoy has yet to cross into Syria from Turkey, and safely reach eastern Aleppo”, O’Brien said in a statement. He said the U.S. has not even tried to get the opposition to hold its fire. “As soon as the commanders were advised that there were Syrian government forces affected the operation was discontinued and we regret the loss of life”, said Turnbull. He said the strikes enabled IS to “immediately” take over the army position on a strategic hill near the eastern city of Deir Ezzor.
The air attack caused a bitter row between the U.S. and Russian Federation at the United Nations Security Council on Saturday night, with each country’s representatives walking out while the other was speaking.
“The UK would not intentionally target Syrian military units”, it added, declining to comment further.
The British aircraft that took part in the operation are believed to have been unmanned remotely piloted Reaper drones.
The US has expressed regret for the strikes, saying that they were meant to target ISIS militants and that if they struck Syrian troops it was accidental. The figure does not include dozens of Syrian soldiers and Islamic State militants killed in the eastern province of Deir el-Zour, the Observatory said Monday.
Moscow and Damascus have blasted Washington over airstrikes that killed scores of Syrian regime troops on Saturday in Deir Ezzor, which is partly held by ISIS.
The Australian defense department also extended condolences to the families of those killed and has pledged to cooperate with the USA inquiry.
Bouthaina Shaaban, a political and media adviser to Assad, told CNN’s Becky Anderson that Syria is adhering to the truce and the United States should start cooperating. Rebels said that plan would amount to the government declaring the truce over.
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The Russian air force has been carrying out strikes across Syria to bolster Assad’s forces for almost a year, and the two militaries work in close coordination.
