Russia’s Bombing of Aid Convoy is War Crime Designed to Finish off Truce

Press Statement Orginal in arabic

Syrian Coalition

Media Office

September 20, 2016

Russian and Assad regime’s jet fighters on Monday afternoon bombed a relief aid convoy consisting of about 20 trucks belonging to the Syrian Arab Red Crescent (SARC) while they were travelling by the town of Urum Alkobra in rural Aleppo. The attack on the aid convoy left many casualties among civilians and SARC staffers as well as destroyed a number of the trucks.

The Syrian Coalition strongly condemns this heinous crime and holds Russia fully and directly responsible for it. It also holds Russia responsible for undermining the cessation of hostilities agreement (CoH) and for all violations that have taken place since the agreement took effect last week.

Russia and the Assad regime violated the truce no fewer than 264 times. Over 65 people have been killed in those violations.

This crime comes as a clear declaration by Russia and the Assad regime of their total rejection of all peaceful solutions. It demonstrates that they are determined to carry on with the killings and destruction. It also exposes the inaction of the international community and its failure to shoulder its responsibilities to put an end to the barbaric war waged for over five years against the Syrian people who have risen up to reclaim their rights to freedom, dignity and justice.

This crime, along with other crimes by the Assad regime and its allies, will fail to weaken the will of the Syrian people to achieve victory. On the contrary, it will bolster their determination to achieve their goals.