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MOSCOW URGES UNSC TO DISCUSS SYRIAN REBELS' SIEGE OF CHRISTIAN TOWN OF KESSAB
Russia Today
April 1 2014
Published time: April 01, 2014 22:22
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The Christian majority town of Kessab, Syria, March 27, 2014. (Still
from AP video)
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Conflict, Crime, Human rights, Law, Russia, Security, Syria, Turkey,
UN, Violence, War
Russia urged the UN Security Council to discuss the situation in
Syria's Christian majority town of Kessab, after Al-Qaeda-linked
militants reportedly attacked the town, the Russian Foreign Ministry
stated.
"The UN Security Council should discuss the situation in Kessab and
give it a principled evaluation," it stated. "We condemn extremists'
actions in Syria. We believe that the Syrian government and the
opposition should join efforts to eradicate terrorism on the Syrian
land."
On March 21, jihadists reportedly crossed into Syria from Turkey
and seized the town in Latakia province, home to over 2,000 ethnic
Armenians. The attack caused hundreds of local families, mainly
Armenian, to flee their homes and seek shelter in the city of Latakia.
Russia's Foreign Ministry noted that there were no military objects on
the attacked territory and added that the only fault of the families,
who were forced to flee, was their loyalty to Syria's government.
Syria's permanent representative to the UN, Bashar Jaafari, told RT
Arabic that Syria is hoping the UN will help resolve the situation in
Kessab. In the past week, Syria sent five letters to the UN Security
Council and the General Secretary. "These letters contain detailed
information about Turkish direct involvement in the crisis by providing
protection to terrorist groups that are operating in the Kessab area,"
Jaafari said.
He further added that military groups managed to get to Kessab under
the cover of Turkish artillery strikes, Turkish aviation, and tanks,
which were all used as a distraction.
"This allowed the terrorists to avoid direct clashes with the Syrian
army...unleashed [the terrorists'] hands to carry out their heinous,
unspeakable crimes."
Earlier, the Armenian government also called on the UN to protect
Kessab, evoked the Armenian genocide of 1915, and accused Turkey of
allowing jihadists cross its border to attack Kessab. In turn, Ankara
slammed the accusations and condemned the charge as "confrontational
political propaganda."
The attack on Kessab was reportedly carried out by fighters from the
Al-Nusra Front, an Al-Qaeda-linked jihadist group in Syria, and the
Islamist Ahrar al-Sham brigade, part of the Islamic Front alliance.
Earlier this week, the Syrian army launched an operation to force
the militants out of the town.
The situation escalated on March 23 when Turkey shot down a Syrian
Air Force jet at the Kessab crossing. Turkish Prime Minister Recep
Tayyip Erdogan said the plane was intercepted after it violated his
country's airspace.
In response, Damascus accused Ankara of "blatant aggression," saying
the fighter jet had been over Syria. The Syrian pilot said a Turksih
aircraft fired a missile at him while he was pursuing terrorists
within Syrian territories, SANA news agency reported.
http://rt.com/news/moscow-un-syria-kessab-693/
From: Baghdasarian
Russia Today
April 1 2014
Published time: April 01, 2014 22:22
Get short URL
The Christian majority town of Kessab, Syria, March 27, 2014. (Still
from AP video)
Share on tumblr
Tags
Conflict, Crime, Human rights, Law, Russia, Security, Syria, Turkey,
UN, Violence, War
Russia urged the UN Security Council to discuss the situation in
Syria's Christian majority town of Kessab, after Al-Qaeda-linked
militants reportedly attacked the town, the Russian Foreign Ministry
stated.
"The UN Security Council should discuss the situation in Kessab and
give it a principled evaluation," it stated. "We condemn extremists'
actions in Syria. We believe that the Syrian government and the
opposition should join efforts to eradicate terrorism on the Syrian
land."
On March 21, jihadists reportedly crossed into Syria from Turkey
and seized the town in Latakia province, home to over 2,000 ethnic
Armenians. The attack caused hundreds of local families, mainly
Armenian, to flee their homes and seek shelter in the city of Latakia.
Russia's Foreign Ministry noted that there were no military objects on
the attacked territory and added that the only fault of the families,
who were forced to flee, was their loyalty to Syria's government.
Syria's permanent representative to the UN, Bashar Jaafari, told RT
Arabic that Syria is hoping the UN will help resolve the situation in
Kessab. In the past week, Syria sent five letters to the UN Security
Council and the General Secretary. "These letters contain detailed
information about Turkish direct involvement in the crisis by providing
protection to terrorist groups that are operating in the Kessab area,"
Jaafari said.
He further added that military groups managed to get to Kessab under
the cover of Turkish artillery strikes, Turkish aviation, and tanks,
which were all used as a distraction.
"This allowed the terrorists to avoid direct clashes with the Syrian
army...unleashed [the terrorists'] hands to carry out their heinous,
unspeakable crimes."
Earlier, the Armenian government also called on the UN to protect
Kessab, evoked the Armenian genocide of 1915, and accused Turkey of
allowing jihadists cross its border to attack Kessab. In turn, Ankara
slammed the accusations and condemned the charge as "confrontational
political propaganda."
The attack on Kessab was reportedly carried out by fighters from the
Al-Nusra Front, an Al-Qaeda-linked jihadist group in Syria, and the
Islamist Ahrar al-Sham brigade, part of the Islamic Front alliance.
Earlier this week, the Syrian army launched an operation to force
the militants out of the town.
The situation escalated on March 23 when Turkey shot down a Syrian
Air Force jet at the Kessab crossing. Turkish Prime Minister Recep
Tayyip Erdogan said the plane was intercepted after it violated his
country's airspace.
In response, Damascus accused Ankara of "blatant aggression," saying
the fighter jet had been over Syria. The Syrian pilot said a Turksih
aircraft fired a missile at him while he was pursuing terrorists
within Syrian territories, SANA news agency reported.
http://rt.com/news/moscow-un-syria-kessab-693/
From: Baghdasarian