Russia presented all evidence on aid convoy attack, now wants impartial investigation – Lavrov
Moscow has provided all the data it has on the attack on a humanitarian convoy in Aleppo, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said at a UN Security Council meeting. Lavrov also called for a full and impartial investigation into the incident.
"There was another unacceptable provocation on September 19 - the shelling of a humanitarian convoy near Aleppo,” Lavrov said.
He also noted that at the same time militants had advanced in the 1070 district of Aleppo.
“I am confident that such coincidences require serious analysis and an investigation.”
On September 19, a humanitarian convoy consisting of 31 trucks was attacked while heading to Aleppo. According to the Red Cross, 20 civilians and one aid worker died as a result. Initial reports by the organization claimed the convoy had been targeted by an airstrike.
On Tuesday, the UN backtracked on its earlier claims that the convoy was hit by military planes.
"We are not in a position to determine whether these were in fact airstrikes. We are in a position to say that the convoy was attacked," UN humanitarian spokesman Jens Laerke said.
Speaking on the delivery of humanitarian aid to Aleppo, Lavrov said that the Russia and US-backed plan included the creation of a demilitarized zone around the Castello Road.
The minister however added that while the Syrian government forces have started their withdrawal, the militants have not followed suit.
"The government forces began their withdrawal – in accordance with the Russia-US agreements – only to see that the opposition did not follow suit, and even began to fire."
In fact, there have been hundreds of violations by rebel groups in Syria, including those by Ahrar al-Sham, Lavrov said. He added that Moscow has handed over the relevant information to its American counterparts.
"We notified our American colleagues about 300 cases of violation of the cessation of hostilities on the part of Ahrar al-Sham and a number of other opposition groups whose names have been mentioned in the list of those [groups] who joined the ceasefire,”Lavrov said.
The view was countered by US Secretary of State John Kerry, who put the blame for the violations of the ceasefire on Syrian President Bashar Assad, calling him a “spoiler.” Kerry added that in his view, Assad “does not believe in ceasefire.” Kerry also urged that Syrian government forces should be banned from flying over territories held by opposition forces.
Regarding the attack on the humanitarian convoy near Aleppo, the US secretary of state said that following the incident, the parties involved in the cessation of hostilities in Syria “cannot do business as usual.”
In order to deliver humanitarian aid in northern Syria, all aircraft should be grounded in the respective area, Kerry went on to say.
He also stressed that without a proper ceasefire in Syria, the country will witness “more dead and more suffering on an even greater scale.” Kerry said that the plan he and Lavrov had agreed in Geneva “is far from perfect,” but that as of yet there are no alternatives.
Both Kerry and Lavrov spoke in favor of resuming talks on a Syria peace plan.
"Attempts by some participants [of the talks] to put forward certain preconditions or ultimatums, to sabotage the UN Resolution 22/54, are unacceptable," Lavrov said.
"We should not give in to this blackmail. The talks must be resumed immediately," he added.
18:25 21.09.2016(updated 19:56 21.09.2016)
US-led coalition's 'Predator' attack drone was spotted around Urum al-Kubra at the time of attack on the UN convoy, the Russian Defense Ministry stated on Wednesday. "In the evening on September 19, exactly in the area [where the UN humanitarian convoy was] at an altitude of 3,600 meters was a US-led-coalition UAV flying at a speed of 200kmph," the Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Maj. Gen. Igor Konashenkov said. US-Led Coalition Airstrikes on Syrian Army Position are Nothing but Flagrant Violation of Syrian Ceasefire - Lavrov 'Predator' drone had taken off from Incirlik air base in Turkey and left Urum al-Kubra area half an hour after the incident with UN humanitarian convoy, Konashenkov added. According to Konashenkov, "the aircraft was by identified by Russia's air surveillance system as a Predator-type UAV." "This aircraft appeared in the Urum al-Kubra area several minute prior to the attack on the convoy and left the area about 30 minutes later," Konashenkov stressed, questioning the purpose of the Predator's mission. Pentagon 'Succeeded in Ruining' Lavrov-Kerry Deal on Syria The Pentagon immediately dismissed the Russian claims by saying the coalition aircraft were not conducting missions at the time of the attack that killed at least 21 people and destroyed 18 trucks with humanitarian aid. Russian military informed the US Air Force representative that Russian aircraft were not present near Aleppo at the time of the attack on the UN humanitarian convoy, the Russian Defense Ministry said. Russian MoD also denied presense of Russian aircraft near Urum al-Kubra at the time of the attack.
Read more: https://sputniknews.com/middleeast/20160921/1045559448/us-predator-drone-syria-russia.html
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