Russia/France: Lavrov claims Kouachi brothers 'fought in Syria'
| Publisher | Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty |
| Publication Date | 12 January 2015 |
| Cite as | Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Russia/France: Lavrov claims Kouachi brothers 'fought in Syria', 12 January 2015, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/54be1463e.html [accessed 3 June 2023] |
| 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. |
January 12, 2015
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has claimed that two Al-Qaeda-linked brothers thought to have carried out last week's terrorist massacre in Paris had trained and fought along the Islamic militants in Syria.
Cherif and Said Kouachi eventually were shot dead by French security forces on January 9, after allegedly killing 12 people on January 7 in an attack on the offices of the Charlie Hebdo satirical weekly.
Lavrov, speaking in Moscow on January 12, said the Kouachi brothers "had learned the art of terrorism in Syria where, by the way, they had been fighting on the side of those who were busy working for the cause supported by our Western colleagues – the cause of toppling [Syrian President] Bashar al-Assad."
Little or no information in the public domain has suggested the Kouachi brothers fought in Syria, and Lavrov provided no evidence to support his claim.
Cherif Kouachi, 32, was convicted in 2008 for his involvement in France as part of network that sent recruits to fight alongside Al-Qaeda militants in Iraq.
According to French and Yemeni intelligence sources, the 34-year-old Said Kouachi to Yemen in 2009, where he trained with Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula.
Based on reporting by Reuters and nytimes.com
Link to original story on RFE/RL website
