Russia accuses US of blocking humanitarian aid in Syria
Russia accused the United States of committing a “war crime” in Syria, saying its army had denied Syrian refugees access to humanitarian aid.
“The most severe humanitarian situation remains in the Al-tanf region,” the Russian Defense Ministry’s Syria reconciliation center said, referring to a garrison where US and other foreign troops train anti-daesh forces, AFP reported.
Tens of thousands of Syrian refugees from the Al-rukban refugee camp on the Jordanian border are deprived of humanitarian aid because of the United States, which “illegally placed their military base there and forbids approach within 55 kilometers (35 miles) under the threat of death,” the center said.
“The actions of the US military and the socalled international coalition in Al-tanf are a gross violation of international humanitarian law and could qualify as a war crime,” it said in a statement quoted by Russian news agencies.
Earlier this month Moscow accused the US of supporting Daesh terrorists and enabling them to mount counteroffensive attacks in eastern Syria from near the Al-tanf garrison.
Washington says the garrison is used by US and British special forces to train Syrian groups fighting Daesh terrorists.
Russia has been flying a bombing campaign in Syria since 2015, when it stepped in to support the Syrian government and tipped the conflict in its favor.