A suspected chemical weapons attack which left more than 70 dead in a rebel-held town shows war crimes continue in Syria, UN chief Antonio Guterres said Wednesday. “The horrific events of yesterday demonstrate unfortunately that war crimes are going on in Syria (and that) international humanitarian law is being violated frequently,” Guterres said as he … Read more
A suspected chemical attack that killed at least 58 civilians in rebel-held northwestern Syria has prompted widespread outrage and calls for international action. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said an air strike in Idlib province Tuesday which released “toxic gas” was likely carried out by government warplanes, a charge the regime denied. UN … Read more
The United States’ stumbling response Tuesday to the latest apparent chemical weapons strike in Syria underlined the disarray at the heart of its strategy for the country. After an awkward delay, Washington officials joined a global chorus of outrage after dozens of civilians were killed by a suspected chemical agent in a strike on a … Read more
The White House condemned what it called a “reprehensible” and “intolerable” chemical attack in Syria Tuesday and pinned the blame squarely on Bashar al-Assad’s regime. White House spokesman Sean Spicer said an “extremely alarmed” President Donald Trump had been briefed extensively on the attack, and suggested it was in the “best interest” of the Syrians … Read more
Syrian President Bashar al-Assad on Monday said Russia can play an important role in the crisis following Syria’s firing missiles at Israeli warplanes carrying out strikes in the conflict-torn country. “Russia can play a role so that Israel no longer attacks Syria,” Assad told Russian journalists. “I think Russia can play an important role in … Read more
Britain’s foreign minister Boris Johnson will go to Moscow in the coming weeks to discuss the differences between the two countries over Syria and Ukraine, the Foreign Office said on Saturday, in the first such visit for five years. Britain backed sanctions against Russia in response to its annexation of Crimea in 2014, and the … Read more
Russia has now blocked seven UN resolutions regarding Syria since unrest erupted there in 2011, almost always with support from China. Moscow is an unconditional supporter of Bashar al-Assad’s regime in Damascus, and its latest veto adds to the six previous ones listed below. Six months after the Syrian conflict begins, Russia and China on … Read more
Russia and China on Tuesday vetoed a UN resolution backed by Western powers that would have imposed sanctions on Syria over chemical weapons use. The measure drafted by Britain, France and the United States won nine votes in favor at the Security Council while three countries opposed it — China, Russia and Bolivia. Kazakhstan, Ethiopia … Read more
Russian President Vladimir Putin said Thursday that Moscow’s goal in Syria was to “stabilise the legitimate authority” and strike a “decisive blow” against terrorism. “We have no plans to interfere in Syria’s internal affairs,” he told a group of naval officers returning from Syria, where six years of war have killed more than 310,000 people. … Read more
Syrian regime and rebel representatives failed Thursday to make any breakthroughs at talks in Kazakhstan, as key powerbrokers Russia, Turkey and Iran sought to shore up a shaky ceasefire. The meeting was the second time key players Moscow, Tehran and Ankara have brought the warring sides to the Kazakh capital of Astana, and comes ahead … Read more
Kazakhstan said Wednesday a new round of Astana talks on the Syria conflict led by Russia, Turkey and Iran scheduled to begin February 15 would be delayed by a day due to unexplained “technical reasons”. “The negotiations have been moved to February 16 for technical reasons,” a spokeswoman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs told … Read more
The Syrian government and rebel groups have agreed to a ceasefire from midnight (22:00 GMT) across the country, followed by peace talks. The deal was announced by Russian President Vladimir Putin and confirmed by the Turkish foreign ministry. Russia and Turkey, which back opposing sides in the bitter conflict, will act as guarantors. Turkey said … Read more
A huge search operation is continuing “round the clock” in Russia, after a Russian military plane with 92 people on board crashed into the Black Sea. More than 3,000 people, including 109 divers, as well as ships, planes, helicopters and submersibles are involved in the operation near Sochi. The Tu-154 plane – carrying soldiers, members … Read more
Unconfirmed reports said the plane was flying to Syria’s Latakia province. A Russian military plane has disappeared from radar just minutes after take-off from the Black Sea resort of Sochi, local media have said. They quoted a source at the emergency ministry as saying the missing aircraft was a Tu-154. The country’s defence ministry later … Read more
The relations between unpredictable allies, Russia and Turkey, appear to have deteriorated in the past few years. The relationship between Moscow and Ankara have deteriorated since the Turkish Air Force F-16 fighter jet shot a Russian Su-24 bomber out of the Syrian skies, citing an airspace violation that did not take place. This is one … Read more
Russia’s seat on the UN Human Rights Council is under threat due to its support of the Syrian government’s air campaign in Aleppo. More than 80 human rights and aid organisations, including Human Rights Watch, CARE International and Refugees International, have urged UN member states to drop Russia from the Human Rights Council over its … Read more
A “humanitarian pause” announced by Russia is to formally come into effect in Syria’s city of Aleppo to allow civilians and rebels leave the city. Moscow earlier said air strikes by Russia and Syria’s government had been halted two days ahead of schedule. It also extended the pause by three hours, and suggested it could … Read more
The US has said it holds Russia responsible for a deadly attack on an aid convoy near the Syrian city of Aleppo on Monday. The White House has called it an “enormous humanitarian tragedy”. Meanwhile, US officials have told the BBC that two Russian war planes were responsible for the attack. Russia strongly denies involvement … Read more