Syrians mass on Turkish border as regime advances, NATO blames Russia
World
Syrians mass on Turkish border as regime advances, NATO blames Russia
Up to 20,000 Syrians were stranded on the Turkish border Friday after fleeing a major Russian-backed regime offensive near Aleppo where a new humanitarian disaster appeared to be unfolding. Tens of thousands of civilians have joined an exodus to escape fierce fighting involving government forces who severed the rebels’ main supply route into Syria’s largest city, which aid workers said they feared could soon fall under a full government siege.
The situation in Aleppo is a humanitarian catastrophe. The international community must take urgent, concrete steps to address it.
Opposition spokesman
Western nations have accused the Syrian government of sabotaging peace talks that collapsed this week with its military offensive, and Washington has demanded that Moscow halt its campaign in support of President Bashar Assad. The United Nations Security Council met Friday to discuss the faltering peace process, as NATO head Jens Stoltenberg warned that Russian airstrikes were “undermining the efforts to find a political solution,” a charge dismissed by Moscow.
It’s in bad taste. This is not a good time for recriminations.
Russian ambassador to the U.N.’s Vitaly Churkin
