Statement for the press ON THE TARGETING OF THE RED CRESCENT HUMANITARIAN AID CONVOY

(Statement for the press)

ON THE TARGETING OF THE RED CRESCENT

HUMANITARIAN AID CONVOY

At exactly 8:30PM, only one hour after the Assad regime announced an

end to the ceasefire agreed upon between international parties, warplanes

and military helicopters carried out a campaign of fierce bombardments

against the western Aleppo suburbs. Among the targets hit during this

fierce air campaign was a humanitarian aid convoy preparing to unload

its cargo into a Red Crescent warehouse in the Urum region. The attack

killed 12 humanitarian aid workers and 19 civilians, including the drivers

of the aid convoy, for a total of 31 dead.

We in the armed revolutionary groups extend our condolences to the

families of the victims, who died while carrying out their humanitarian

duties, and we further affirm the following

1-The Free Syrian Army, as represented by "Jaish al-Mujahideen," took

part in facilitating the humanitarian convoy's passage into the western

Aleppo suburbs. They have done the same for all other humanitarian

convoys that arrive regularly in the western Aleppo suburbs, because

the entry point is under their control

2-As Russian surveillance drones circled heavily overhead and this is

documented on video the humanitarian aid convoy of 31 trucks entered

the western Aleppo suburbs at 11:30AM on Monday, which is a period

covered by the ceasefire. The convoy then stopped near a Red Crescent

warehouse between the villages of Urum and Kafrnaha in the western

Aleppo suburbs

3-The scale of aerial bombardments was a clear signal of intent to destroy

the entire convoy and Red Crescent warehouse. At 8:30PM, warplanes

carried out over 18 airstrikes that were closely followed by barrel bombings

from military helicopters. The warplanes then circled back and targeted the

area with heavily artillery. It is well-known that the Syrian revolutionary

groups do not possess either warplanes or helicopters, which makes it

obvious that that the regime is implicated in this horrific war crime

4-The Assad regime has repeatedly and regularly blocked the entry of

aid convoys into besieged areas and has failed to comply with any

United Nations Security Council resolutions relevant to this matter

especially Resolution 2165. On 13 September 2016, the regime even

announced on its official foreign ministry website that it refused to allow

humanitarian access to Aleppo via Turkey. This further confirms that the

regime is opposed to all humanitarian activities for civilians who reject its

tyrannical politics. The regime yesterday also sabotaged the humanitarian

aid crates that were en route to Moadamiya al-Sham, in the Damascus

suburbs, under Red Cross supervision

5-We in the armed revolutionary groups have criticized the performance

of the United Nations agencies, particularly the humanitarian ones

because the Assad regime has succeeded in starving over a million

Syrians in various besieged areas. Nonetheless, we have affirmed and

affirm once again our readiness to take part in, facilitate, and protect any

humanitarian convoy that brings aid to our steadfast fellow Syrians

We completely reject the targeting of humanitarian relief convoys or

humanitarian aid workers, as this amounts to a war crime. The United

Nations and the international community must shoulder their

responsibilities in holding the perpetrators of yesterday's atrocity

accountable

Revolutionary Armed Groups in Syria

Date: 21/09/2016