The United States accused Russian Federation of grandstanding on Saturday by calling a U.N. Security Council meeting over USA -led coalition air strikes in Syria, as Russian Federation said the attacks killed dozens of Syrian soldiers and could endanger a truce deal between Moscow and Washington.
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Russia’s Defense Ministry said that more than 60 Syrian troops were killed in four airstrikes near the city of Deir al-Zour, the Interfax news agency reported.
A statement from Syrian army general command said the air strike killed Syrian soldiers who had been preparing for an attack against Islamic State, and was “conclusive evidence” that the USA and its allies support the jihadist group, the statement said.
A statement from US Central Command said the coalition conferred with the Russian military before the strike.
According to the White House, Obama was briefed on multiple advances against ISIL that the Coalition has enabled across the battlefield in both Iraq and Syria.
Syria’s national TV also confirmed the killing of Syrian servicemen by the USA -led coalition. Konashenkov said the planes came from the direction of the Iraqi border, he added.
The U.S. has halted an attack in eastern Syria amid fears that the airstrike hit Syrian soldiers in the region on Saturday.
The United Nations pointed the finger at the government for holding up aid by denying letters guaranteeing access. “The attack also exposes the falsity of the USA claims in fighting terrorism”.
The Syrian army has been fighting IS since past year near Deir el-Zour. But there have been reports of violations, and the Russians have said the United States is not fulfilling its obligations. Syrian human rights organizations stated that over the night, fighter aircraft attacked rebel forces in Idlib and Hama.
Defense Ministry spokesman Maj. Instead, the government said it was “a very serious and flagrant aggression” that aided the Islamic State and proved its long-held assertion that the United States supports the jihadi group as part of an effort to oust President Bashar Assad.
Syrian state media said rebels violated the ceasefire by shelling government-held areas in the eastern Damascus neighborhood of Qaboun, wounding three people. However, aid convoys have been unable to enter rebel-held parts of the northern city of Aleppo – a key component of the deal. “But this is a very unsafe route”. Russian news agencies cited another official, Lt. Gen. Vladimir Savchenko, as saying there had been 55 violations throughout the country.
In its sixth year, the conflict has cost hundreds of thousands of lives, displaced half of Syria’s pre-war population, prompted a refugee crisis in the Middle East and Europe and inspired a wave of jihadist attacks across the world.
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“As for Russian Federation, it is fully honouring its obligations”, he said, adding Moscow reached relevant agreements with regime forces.
