UK and US accuse Russia of ‘barbarism’ and 'war crimes' in Aleppo
UK accuses Russia of ‘war crimes’ over Aleppo bombing after Syrian jets dropped phosphorous on a rebel camp on outskirts of the city.
The UN has accused Russia of war crimes in Syria
The US ambassador to the United Nations (UN) has accused Russia of “barbarism” over the bombing of Syria in Aleppo.
Russian and Syrian jets have been accused of using phosphorus on civilian areas.
Samantha Power said that Russia and the Syrian regime were “laying waste to what is left of an iconic Middle Eastern city".
Samantha Power is the US ambassador to the United Nations
Instead of peace, Russia and Assad make war. Instead of getting life-saving aid Syrians, Russia and Assad are bombing hospitals and first responders
She also said at the emergency meeting of the Security Council on September 25, “What Russia is sponsoring and doing is not counterterrorism, it is barbarism".
Russia claimed that Syrian forces were trying to remove terrorists from Aleppo while harming as few citizens as possible.
Ms Power told the meeting that Russia did have the power to stop the suffering.
Aleppo is continuing to be heavily bombed
She said: “Instead of peace, Russia and Assad make war. Instead of getting life-saving aid Syrians, Russia and Assad are bombing hospitals and first responders."
The emergency meeting was requested by Britain, France and the United States after the Syrian regime declared a new offensive against eastern Aleppo, which is home to 275,000 people.
Since a cease-fire fell apart on September 19, at least 231 civilians have been killed in violence in the devastated city.
Russia has also been accused of targeting emergency workers
Ms Power said: “Instead of helping get lifesaving aid to civilians, Russia and Assad are bombing the humanitarian convoys, hospitals and first responders who are trying desperately to keep people alive.”
It was suggested various time during the meeting that Russia may have committee war crimes.
However, Russia’s representative Vitaly Churkin blamed the Americans for the return of fighting.
Syria: UN’s Ban Ki-moon ‘appalled by chilling military escalation’ in Aleppo
He said that Washington had failed to rein in violence by the rebel forced that it backs in Syria.
When Syria’s UN ambassador was called to speak at the UN council, the ambassadors of the US, Britain and France walked out in protest.