Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu accused the West of failing to rein in violent Islamists in Syria, a fact which had indefinitely delayed the resumption of peace talks. Shoigu said that rebels backed by Western governments had been attacking civilians in the Syrian city of Aleppo, despite a pause in Russian and Syrian air strikes. “As a result, the prospects for the start of a negotiation process and the return to peaceful life in Syria are postponed for an indefinite period,” said Shoigu
Separately, a Kremlin spokesman said that a temporary pause in Russian and Syrian government air strikes on the rebel-held eastern part of Aleppo was in force for now, but could not be extended if the rebels did not halt their attacks against the government-controlled Western part of the city. Western-backed rebels, fighting alongside the al-Qaeda linked Jabhat Fattah al Sham, launched an offensive last week against government-held western Aleppo, more than a month into an operation by the Syrian army to retake the city’s rebel-held eastern districts, which it had already put under siege. During the course of the rebel attack, dozens of civilians were reportedly killed in what the United Nations said may constitute war crimes.
“Such high numbers of civilian casualties suggest that armed opposition groups are failing to adhere to the fundamental prohibition under international humanitarian law, on the launching of indiscriminate attacks, and the principles of precaution and proportionality. The reported use of ground-based missiles, along with the use of armored vehicles loaded with explosives, used in an area containing more than 1 million civilian inhabitants, is completely unacceptable and may constitute a war crime,” said Ravina Shamadasani, UN HCHR Spokeswoman.
Since October 18th, Russia and its Syrian allies have halted air attacks on Aleppo, after Western governments accused Moscow of indiscriminate targeting of civilians that caused a-large-number-of-casualties, an allegation Russia denies. The halt in air strikes on Aleppo is fragile, however, as Russian President Vladimir Putin warned that its continuation depended on the behavior of moderate-rebel-groups in the embattled city and their Western backers. Nevertheless, the United Nations warned that all parties in Aleppo may be subject to war crimes, including Russia. “All parties in Aleppo are conducting hostilities which are resulting in large numbers of civilian casualties, and creating an atmosphere of terror for those who continue to live in the city. Strikes against hospitals, schools, market places, water facilities and bakeries are now common place, and if proven to be intentional, may amount to war crimes,” added Shamadasani.
The Russian top defense official Shoigu, who was addressing a meeting of Russian military officials, urged the West to determine who they are fighting, Russia or Al-Qaeda, since the rebel groups continue to fight alongside Al-Qaeda linked militants. “It is time for our Western colleagues to determine who they are fighting against: terrorists or Russia.” / “Maybe they have forgotten at whose hands innocent people died in Belgium, in France, in Egypt, in Iraq and elsewhere?” added Shoigu. The Minister also referred to decisions by European governments to refuse a Russian fleet bound for Syria to dock in their Mediterranean ports to refuel or take on supplies, saying he was surprised by their move, but it had not effected Moscow’s naval mission.