WASHINGTON: The United States on Friday demanded a war crimes investigation into the ferocious bombing campaign of Aleppo, accusing Syria and its Russian ally of “terrorizing” civilians in the devastated city.
US Secretary of State John Kerry spoke ahead of discussions on a draft UN Security Council resolution that would call for an end to the Russian-backed onslaught on Aleppo.
The two-week assault by President Bashar Assad’s forces has sparked a global outcry after airstrikes on hospitals and other civilian infrastructure.
“These are acts that beg for an appropriate investigation — war crimes. And those that commit these will be and should be held accountable for their actions,” Kerry told reporters in Washington.
He said Moscow and Damascus “owe the world more than an explanation about why they keep hitting hospitals and medical facilities, children and women.
“This is a targeted strategy to terrorize civilians and to kill anybody and everybody who is in the way of their military objectives.”
Raids earlier this week destroyed the largest hospital in the rebel-controlled east, and Kerry said on Friday another strike on a medical facility overnight killed 20 people.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel urged Russia to use its influence with the Syrian government to end the bombardment of Aleppo, as her government opened the door to possible sanctions against Russia for its role in the conflict.
Merkel said there was no basis in international law for bombing hospitals and Moscow should use its influence with Assad to end the bombing of civilians. "Russia has a lot of influence on Assad. We must end these atrocious crimes," Merkel told an audience of party members in Germany.
In New York, the UN Security Council began an emergency meeting on the war at Russia’s request.
“The top priority is to stop the bloodbath in Aleppo,” French Ambassador Francois Delattre told reporters as he headed into closed-door talks.
Security Council members have discussed for a week a French-drafted UN resolution calling for a cease-fire.
Russia threatened to use its veto to block the French-drafted UN resolution.
“I cannot possibly see how we can let this resolution pass,” Russian Ambassador Vitaly Churkin told reporters when asked whether he would resort to the veto.
Following a closed-door Security Council meeting on Syria, Churkin said the French measure was “hastily put together,” adding, “I believe this is not designed to make progress, but to cause a Russian veto.”
French Ambassador Francois Delattre said the resolution has “very strong support” within the 15-member council and that “there was no time to waste” for addressing the unfolding disaster in Aleppo.
French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault in Washington warned that an expected Saturday vote on the proposed Aleppo truce was “a moment of truth for all members of the Security Council.”
Friday’s talks come after UN special envoy Staffan de Mistura warned Aleppo could be totally destroyed before the end of the year.
De Mistura also called on the regime and Russia to halt strikes if fighters from the former Al-Nusra Front, now known as Fateh Al-Sham Front, left the city, even offering to escort them out himself.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Friday he could support a UN plan for the faction to leave Aleppo if other rebel groups renounced their ties to the group.
“If Nusra leaves with its arms in the direction of Idlib... then for the sake of saving Aleppo we are ready to support such an approach and would be ready to call on the Syrian government to agree to this,” Lavrov told Russian television.
Russia’s parliament on Friday ratified a deal with Syria on the “indefinite” deployment of its forces in the country.
Once Syria’s economic powerhouse, Aleppo has been ravaged by the war that has killed more than 300,000 since it began in March 2011.
At least 250,000 people remain in east Aleppo, under near-continuous siege for months and now facing some of the most intense bombardment yet.
US seeks war crimes probe into Russia-Syria killing spree
US seeks war crimes probe into Russia-Syria killing spree
UN chief condemns Israeli law blocking electricity, water for UNRWA facilities
- The agency provides education, health and aid to millions of Palestinians in Gaza, the West Bank, Jordan, Lebanon and Syria
United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres condemned on Wednesday a move by Israel to ban electricity or water to facilities owned by the UN Palestinian refugee agency, a UN spokesperson said.
The spokesperson said the move would “further impede” the agency’s ability to operate and carry out activities.
“The Convention on the Privileges and Immunities of the United Nations remains applicable to UNRWA (United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East), its property and assets, and to its officials and other personnel. Property used by UNRWA is inviolable,” Stephane Dujarric, spokesman for the secretary-general, said while adding that UNRWA is an “integral” part of the world body.
UNRWA Commissioner General Phillipe Lazzarini also condemned the move, saying that it was part of an ongoing “ systematic campaign to discredit UNRWA and thereby obstruct” the role it plays in providing assistance to Palestinian refugees.
In 2024, the Israeli parliament passed a law banning the agency from operating in the country and prohibiting officials from having contact with the agency.
As a result, UNRWA operates in East Jerusalem, which the UN considers territory occupied by Israel. Israel considers all Jerusalem to be part of the country.
The agency provides education, health and aid to millions of Palestinians in Gaza, the West Bank, Jordan, Lebanon and Syria. It has long had tense relations with Israel but ties have deteriorated sharply since the start of the war in Gaza and Israel has called repeatedly for UNRWA to be disbanded, with its responsibilities transferred to other UN agencies.
The prohibition of basic utilities to the UN agency came as Israel also suspended of dozens of international non-governmental organizations working in Gaza due to a failure to meet new rules to vet those groups.
In a joint statement, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Iceland, Japan, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom said on Tuesday such a move would have a severe impact on the access of essential services, including health care. They said one in three health care facilities in Gaza would close if international NGO operations stopped.
