Russia’s Crimes in Northern Aleppo Met with International Silence

Press Statement "Original in Arabic"

Syrian Coalition

Media Office

February 6, 2016

The Assad regime continues its barbaric onslaught on the Syrian people, backed by the Russians, the Iranians and foreign militias. War crimes and crimes against humanity committed in Syria, in addition to mass civilian displacements, expose the true intentions behind the Russian intervention in Syria. Russia’s intervention was mainly aimed to prop-up the Assad regime by killing and displacing more civilians. Russia used the political process in Geneva to cover up these crimes while the international community and friends of the Syrian people remain silent over crimes committed by the Russians in Syria.

While the Syrian Coalition strongly condemns these heinous crimes, it holds the international community, Moscow and the Friends of Syria Group responsible for the death of innocent civilians.

The Coalition stresses that the silence over the scorched earth policy deployed by Russia and the Assad regime will not cause the Syrian people to give up but will serve as greater incentive to continue until the goals of the revolution are achieved. Meanwhile, such a policy will further complicate the conflict, cause the death of more people and fuel terrorism and radicalization as Russia continues to ignore ISIS and targets innocent civilians.

The Syrian Coalition calls upon the UN Security Council to hold an emergency meeting to condemn Russia’s aggression on Syria and to take measures in order to stop the continuing crimes against the Syrian people in line with UN Security Council Resolution 2254. Action must also be taken to enforce Articles 12 and 13 of this resolution and to pave the way for a political transition in accordance with the Geneva Communiqué of 2012.

We expect the Turkish government to open its borders as soon as possible and take in the refugees fleeing the crimes of the Assad regime and Russia. We warn of a new humanitarian crisis that may take place in the coming days as a result of the displacement of tens of thousands of civilians fleeing the continued aerial bombardment.

Russia is evidently practicing state terrorism against the Syrian people in favor of the authoritarian Assad regime. Russia is not going to change its policy in Syria; that is why stopping its crimes depends on the international community, which has so far been unwilling to act.

The political process has been suspended as talks cannot be launched crimes are carried out against the Syrian people on a daily basis.

The Syrian people rose up against tyranny with nobody on their side. The revolution will continue, and the Syrian people will rely on themselves; on their will and faith in their legitimate rights as well their confidence in their ability to remain steadfast in the face of the forces of evil.