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Russia Rejects U.S. Demands for Resumption of Syria Cease-Fire Russia Rejects U.S. Demands for Resumption of Syria Cease-Fire
(about 1 hour later)
BEIRUT, Lebanon — The Russian government vowed on Thursday to continue its operations in Syria, dismissing Secretary of State John Kerry’s threat to cut off talks if the bombardment of Aleppo continued.BEIRUT, Lebanon — The Russian government vowed on Thursday to continue its operations in Syria, dismissing Secretary of State John Kerry’s threat to cut off talks if the bombardment of Aleppo continued.
“We have more than once suggested 48-hour pauses in order to ensure humanitarian access,” Sergei A. Ryabkov, the deputy foreign minister of Russia, told reporters in Moscow on Thursday. “But our American colleagues are totally fixated on demands of a seven-day pause for reasons that only they know.”“We have more than once suggested 48-hour pauses in order to ensure humanitarian access,” Sergei A. Ryabkov, the deputy foreign minister of Russia, told reporters in Moscow on Thursday. “But our American colleagues are totally fixated on demands of a seven-day pause for reasons that only they know.”
Mr. Kerry told his Russian counterpart, Sergey V. Lavrov, on Wednesday that the United States would scrap plans for joint military action against jihadist targets unless the Russian and Syrian militaries stopped bombing the rebel-held districts of Aleppo, which was once Syria’s largest city and its commercial center.Mr. Kerry told his Russian counterpart, Sergey V. Lavrov, on Wednesday that the United States would scrap plans for joint military action against jihadist targets unless the Russian and Syrian militaries stopped bombing the rebel-held districts of Aleppo, which was once Syria’s largest city and its commercial center.
As many as 600 wounded people in the city cannot be treated adequately because of a shortage of drugs and medicines, the United Nations deputy special envoy for Syria, Ramzy Ezzeldin Ramzy, said in Geneva on Thursday. “There are now no more than 35 doctors, covering a population of at least 275,000,” he said.
Hundreds of people awaited medical evacuations, while there are food rations left for only one-quarter of the population in eastern Aleppo, he said. “The bombing must stop, civilians must be protected and the cessation of hostilities must be restored,” Mr. Ramzy said.
The United Nations’ emergency relief coordinator, Stephen O’Brien, told the Security Council that Aleppo faces a “humanitarian catastrophe unlike any we have witnessed in Syria,” with at least 320 civilians killed in the last seven days alone. The government has intensified its blockade on aid throughout the country, he said.
Mr. Kerry wants to revive a Sept. 9 cease-fire deal that fell apart after an airstrike that the United States said was aimed at jihadists but that instead killed dozens of Syrian soldiers; an attack on a humanitarian aid convoy for which the United States blamed Russia, despite Kremlin denials; and the relentless bombardment of rebel territory in the city. Most of the rebels in Aleppo battling the government of President Bashar al-Assad are not connected to jihadist groups like the Islamic State and Al Qaeda.Mr. Kerry wants to revive a Sept. 9 cease-fire deal that fell apart after an airstrike that the United States said was aimed at jihadists but that instead killed dozens of Syrian soldiers; an attack on a humanitarian aid convoy for which the United States blamed Russia, despite Kremlin denials; and the relentless bombardment of rebel territory in the city. Most of the rebels in Aleppo battling the government of President Bashar al-Assad are not connected to jihadist groups like the Islamic State and Al Qaeda.
Analysts say that Russia and Syria may be targeting civilians in Aleppo to erode the rebels’ legitimacy by driving them into the hands of extremists. That would give Russia more leverage in diplomatic talks and persuade civilians to stop supporting the rebels.Analysts say that Russia and Syria may be targeting civilians in Aleppo to erode the rebels’ legitimacy by driving them into the hands of extremists. That would give Russia more leverage in diplomatic talks and persuade civilians to stop supporting the rebels.
Mr. Ryabkov suggested a 48-hour pause in fighting, an offer the Americans are likely to reject. They have said that seven days is the minimum needed for a meaningful cease-fire.Mr. Ryabkov suggested a 48-hour pause in fighting, an offer the Americans are likely to reject. They have said that seven days is the minimum needed for a meaningful cease-fire.
“A seven-day pause is a time period that is quite sufficient for terrorist groups to take necessary steps in order to stock up on supplies, allow terrorists to rest and regroup forces,” Mr. Ryabkov said. “It is as though the duration was specially chosen to tackle such tasks, and consequently, a seven-day period is unacceptable for us, and the proposals of 48-hour pauses remain on the table.” “A seven-day pause is a time period that is quite sufficient for terrorist groups to take necessary steps in order to stock up on supplies, allow terrorists to rest and regroup forces,” Mr. Ryabkov said. “It is as though the duration was specially chosen to tackle such tasks, and consequently, a seven-day period is unacceptable for us.”
The Syrian opposition and its international backers counter that the pro-government forces are the ones that have used cease-fires to regroup.The Syrian opposition and its international backers counter that the pro-government forces are the ones that have used cease-fires to regroup.
In a separate conference call with reporters, the Kremlin’s spokesman, Dmitry S. Peskov, said that the Russian Air Force’s operations to support government troops would continue. “What Assad and Russia are doing in Aleppo is soul-shattering,” the United States ambassador to the United Nations, Samantha Power, said on Thursday.
Mr. Peskov chided a State Department spokesman, John Kirby, who said on Wednesday that Russia had an interest in stopping extremist groups like the Islamic State because they could attack “Russian interests, perhaps even Russian cities.” Mr. Peskov called the statement a “thinly disguised invitation to use terrorism as a weapon against Russia” and denounced what he called “the current American administration’s de facto support for terrorism.” Russia, she said, is no longer only supporting Syrian troops but also “fighting alongside the regime, bombing alongside the regime, exceeding in brutality what we have seen from the regime in the life of this war.”
The Kremlin’s spokesman, Dmitry S. Peskov,
chided a State Department spokesman, John Kirby, who said on Wednesday that Russia had an interest in stopping extremist groups like the Islamic State because they could attack “Russian interests, perhaps even Russian cities.” Mr. Peskov called the statement a “thinly disguised invitation to use terrorism as a weapon against Russia” and denounced what he called “the current American administration’s de facto support for terrorism.”
As the diplomatic skirmishing continued, so did the unremitting suffering in Aleppo.As the diplomatic skirmishing continued, so did the unremitting suffering in Aleppo.
Two hospitals in the rebel-held eastern part of the divided city were hit by Syrian government or Russian airstrikes on Wednesday, the latest in hundreds of attacks on medical buildings during the war. Doctors, nurses and activists described the events of the day in text messages with photographs of the bombing scenes. Two hospitals in the rebel-held eastern part of the divided city were hit by Syrian government or Russian airstrikes on Wednesday.
Around 4 a.m., artillery shells hit a hospital known as M2. One hit an ambulance entrance, killing two patients and wounding three staff members. Other patients were evacuated on foot. About 10 minutes later, another hospital, known as M10, was hit by what witnesses described as an airstrike.Around 4 a.m., artillery shells hit a hospital known as M2. One hit an ambulance entrance, killing two patients and wounding three staff members. Other patients were evacuated on foot. About 10 minutes later, another hospital, known as M10, was hit by what witnesses described as an airstrike.
Both hospitals were forced to stop treating patients because their generators were knocked out, but employees remained to bandage the wounded and redirect them to other hospitals. Both hospitals stopped treating patients because their generators were knocked out, but employees remained to bandage the wounded and redirect them to other hospitals.
At the M2 hospital, about 90 patients and staff members huddled inside for hours. One nurse, Baraa, asked residents not to take photographs if they ended up being dragged from the rubble.
“We don’t want to lose our last possession, our dignity,” he said in a text message, offering only his given name because he was afraid.
Aref al-Aref, another medical assistant there, said in a phone interview while he was trapped that after five years of war, “this is the first time I’m scared.”
Muhammad al-Ahmad, a radiology nurse at M10, said he had been awakened from a short nap by explosions and had rushed to evacuate 15 patients when the ventilators and other equipment stopped working. One patient, a child, died.Muhammad al-Ahmad, a radiology nurse at M10, said he had been awakened from a short nap by explosions and had rushed to evacuate 15 patients when the ventilators and other equipment stopped working. One patient, a child, died.
“There was dust everywhere,” he said. “I couldn’t breathe. My ears were buzzing. It was complete darkness around.”“There was dust everywhere,” he said. “I couldn’t breathe. My ears were buzzing. It was complete darkness around.”
Early Thursday, two bakeries outside Aleppo were hit by aerial attacks after a strike that damaged a bakery in the city the day before. The two bakeries hit Thursday were in the nearby countryside: one to the north of the city and the other to the west, close to where the aid convoy was hit. Early Thursday, two bakeries outside Aleppo were hit by aerial attacks after a strike that damaged a bakery in the city the day before.
The bakery attacked on Wednesday was hit by a projectile that killed six people who had been waiting for bread, already scarce. Photographs showed bodies in the street, covered in gray dust like the rubble around them.The bakery attacked on Wednesday was hit by a projectile that killed six people who had been waiting for bread, already scarce. Photographs showed bodies in the street, covered in gray dust like the rubble around them.
“My house was destroyed today,” said Zaher al-Zaher, an activist and citizen journalist in the city. At 7 a.m. on Wednesday, he said, his mother woke him from a nap, warning that an incendiary bomb, which can burn concrete, had fallen on the balcony and set the house on fire.“My house was destroyed today,” said Zaher al-Zaher, an activist and citizen journalist in the city. At 7 a.m. on Wednesday, he said, his mother woke him from a nap, warning that an incendiary bomb, which can burn concrete, had fallen on the balcony and set the house on fire.
“We all left running,” he said. “It’s the first time I’ve seen walls on fire.”“We all left running,” he said. “It’s the first time I’ve seen walls on fire.”
On Thursday, activists reported that Zilal Ibrahim al-Salhani, a 23-year-old university student, had been sentenced to death by a military court. The human rights group Amnesty International had reported her detention in 2012 and expressed fear that she would be subjected to torture and other mistreatment.On Thursday, activists reported that Zilal Ibrahim al-Salhani, a 23-year-old university student, had been sentenced to death by a military court. The human rights group Amnesty International had reported her detention in 2012 and expressed fear that she would be subjected to torture and other mistreatment.