Russia: Strikes on Syrian troops threaten cease-fire plan
| Publisher | Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty |
| Publication Date | 18 September 2016 |
| Cite as | Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Russia: Strikes on Syrian troops threaten cease-fire plan, 18 September 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/58189dbc13.html [accessed 22 October 2022] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
September 18, 2016
At least 250,000 people are estimated to have been killed since the start of Syria's civil war in 2011. (file photo)
Russia's Foreign Ministry has responded angrily to U.S.-led airstrikes on Syrian Army forces, calling them "on the boundary between criminal negligence and direct connivance" with Islamic State militants.
The incident, which Russia said killed 62 Syrian soldiers, sparked an angry exchange between diplomats at the United Nations.
It also threatened to further unravel a fragile cease-fire that went into effect on September 12 aimed at allowing humanitarian assistance into beseiged areas.
The Pentagon said in a statement that jets may have unintentionally struck Syrian troops while attacking Islamic State militants, but gave no further details. The Russian Defense Ministry said on September 17 that 62 Syrian government soldiers had died.
The incident was a result of Washington's "stubborn refusal" to cooperate with Moscow in fighting the Jabhat Fatah al Sham faction, and "other terrorist groups," the Russian Foreign Ministry said on September 18.
"The actions of coalition pilots – if they, as we hope, were not taken on an order from Washington – are on the boundary between criminal negligence and connivance with Islamic State terrorists," the ministry said.
A spokeswoman for the Russian Foreign Ministry suggested that the attack showed Washington was defending Islamic State, a charge that sparked an angry denunciation from the U.S. ambassador at the United Nations.
Later, Russia's U.N. representative Vitaly Churkin also downplayed that accusation, saying Russia had no "specific evidence" of the U.S. colluding with Islamic State militants.
Based on reporting by Reuters, AP, TASS, and Interfax
Link to original story on RFE/RL website
