This article is from the source 'rtcom' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.rt.com/news/404981-raqqa-humanitarian-catastrophe-us/

The article has changed 7 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 5 Version 6
US airstrikes on civilians and humanitarian catastrophe in Raqqa – Moscow US airstrikes on civilians & other ‘chronic mistakes’ led to humanitarian disaster in Raqqa – Moscow
(about 9 hours later)
Repeated targeting mistakes of the US-led coalition in Raqqa have caused significant damage to civilian infrastructure in the city, while a lack of humanitarian aid has led to a catastrophe, a senior Russian diplomat said. Repeated targeting mistakes by the US-led coalition have caused deaths as well as widespread destruction to Syrian civilian infrastructure, while a lack of aid and evacuation corridors has led to a humanitarian disaster in Raqqa, a senior Russian diplomat has said.
“We are witnessing a humanitarian catastrophe in Raqqa (as we previously saw in Iraqi Mosul),” said Oleg Syromolotov, who supervises counterterrorism cooperation with other nations for the Russian Foreign Ministry.
Oleg Syromolotov, who supervises counterterrorism cooperation with other nations on behalf of the Russian Foreign Ministry, said the actions of the US and its allies in Syria differ greatly from how Russia acts. “It was caused by the lack of effective effort to deliver humanitarian aid and to create corridors for the evacuation of civilian population, not to mention the multiple ‘chronic’ mistakes of the US Air Force, including airstrikes hitting civilian sites,” Syromolotov told RIA Novosti.
Russia actively works to provide humanitarian assistance in Syria and bring about a return to normal life on the ground while “the same cannot be said about the US and its cohort,” the diplomat told the RIA Novosti news agency in an interview. Raqqa, which has been de facto capital of Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS/ISIL) terrorists, has been under siege by the so-called Syrian Democratic Forces, backed by US-led coalition airstrikes, since summer.
“We are witnessing a humanitarian catastrophe in Raqqa as we previously did in Mosul [in Iraq]. It was caused by a lack of effective effort to deliver humanitarian aid and create corridors for the evacuation of civilian population, as well as persistent mistakes of the US Air Force, including airstrikes targeting civilian sites,” he stressed. The city sustained severe damage during the operation, with hundreds of civilians being killed in the fighting and repeated misplaced airstrikes.
The Russian diplomat voiced the accusations in an interview with the agency. Human Rights Watch said last week that the US-led coalition “failed to take necessary precautions to avoid and minimize civilian casualties,” blaming it for killing at least 84 civilians, including 30 children, in just two lethal airstrikes near Raqqa in March.
Last Sunday, the high civilian death toll of the Raqqa siege and US reluctance to acknowledge it was highlighted in a report released by Human Rights Watch.
“There is enough evidence to indicate that many civilians were killed, dozens,” Nadim Houry, HRW director of terrorism and counterterrorism division, told RT. “When we asked them [US-led coalition]... on how they conducted their investigation they said these were... secrets that they could not share with us.”
READ MORE: Enough evidence of civilian deaths, US self-investigation of Syria strikes insufficient – HRW to RTREAD MORE: Enough evidence of civilian deaths, US self-investigation of Syria strikes insufficient – HRW to RT
Eliminating IS and other terrorist groups, including Jabhat al-Nusra, is currently “the most imminent task for the international community,” according to Syromolotov.
However, he pointed out that US actions leaves an impression that it's not eager to see IS vanquished.
“We tell our American colleagues: we are offering you to coordinate of our efforts in fighting terrorists in Syria, but you reject it. Who benefits? Islamic State,” he said.
The diplomat said Russia and the US only communicate to avoid potential conflicts over their respective military operations in Syria.
American attempts to hamper the anti-terrorist efforts of Syrian government forces is another indication of Washington’s unwillingness to put an end to IS, Syromolotov noted.
“This is an absurd situation, in which a foreign force, present on Syrian territory illegally and without consent from the government of Syria, starts imposing some geographic boundaries for the Syrian Army, which is fighting to free its own country from terrorists,” he underlined.
Syromolotov was apparently referring to repeated incidents in which the US-led coalition targeted Syrian troops and allied militias either by “mistake” or for allegedly 'threatening'“partner forces” inside what the US presumptuously claims to be its zone of control in Syria.
READ MORE: Damascus urges UN to stop US-led coalition ‘war crimes’ & to expel alliance from Syria
The government in Damascus on Thursday called on the UN Security Council to pressure the US, so that American troops would stop “systematic” airstrikes targeting civilian infrastructure in Syria. The Syrian government reiterated that the US presence on its territory was illegal.The government in Damascus on Thursday called on the UN Security Council to pressure the US, so that American troops would stop “systematic” airstrikes targeting civilian infrastructure in Syria. The Syrian government reiterated that the US presence on its territory was illegal.
Syromolotov reiterated Russia’s criticism of Washington’s failiure to cooperate with the Syrian government in Damascus in tackling terrorism.
“This is an absurd situation, in which a foreign force, present on Syrian territory illegally and without consent from the government of Syria, starts imposing some geographic boundaries for the Syrian Army, which is fighting to free its own country from terrorists,” he stressed.
The remark is an apparent reference to US troops in Syria attacking militia fighters allied with Damascus, saying the troops were targeted upon crossing the border of the American zone of control.
Despite setbacks and international efforts to curb foreign funding, IS and other terrorist groups continue to receive funding and supplies from outside of Syria, Syromolotov pointed out.
“The most imminent task for the international community is to eradicate ISIL and other UN-designated terrorist organizations, including Jabhat Al-Nusra, regardless of what rebranding this Al-Qaeda offshoot uses to hide. The issue here is not only the resources this ‘terrorism international’ has in its own right,” he said.
The Russian diplomat said Moscow had the impression that the US is not eager to see IS fully defeated.
“We tell our American colleagues: we are offering coordination of our efforts in fighting terrorists in Syria, but you reject it. Who benefits? ISIL,” he said.
He added that Russia maintains contact with the US to avoid potential conflicts over their respective military operations in Syria.
“The dialogue continues on the level of military specialists. For example, the Russian military command in Syria informed their American partners through an established channel about the area of operation against ISIL in Deir ez-Zor,” the diplomat said, calling the terrorist group Islamic State (IS) by its former name.