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Syria Aid Convoys Suspended After Attack; U.N. Leader Condemns ‘Cowards’ U.S. Officials Say Russia May Have Been Responsible for Convoy Attack
(about 3 hours later)
Aghast at a deadly aerial bombing of 31 humanitarian supply trucks authorized to travel in Syria, United Nations officials suspended all aid convoys in the war-ravaged country on Tuesday, described the attack as a possible war crime and called the bombers cowards. The Obama administration thinks there is a high probability that Russian airstrikes were responsible for the deadly bombing of a United Nations humanitarian aid convoy, United States officials said Tuesday.
The strike on the trucks, which were carrying critically needed supplies of food and medicine bound for rebel-held areas of Syria’s western Aleppo Province happened on Monday evening after the Syrian military declared that it regarded a seven-day partial cease-fire as over. The officials said that the administration wants to allow Moscow the time and space to investigate and announce its own conclusions about the bombing on Monday, which destroyed much of a 31-truck convoy that had been authorized to travel to a rebel-held area in northern Syria.
The convoy, escorted by the Syrian Arab Red Crescent, was among the first to try to deliver humanitarian aid to the rebel-held areas under the cease-fire agreement. Members of the group said its local chief, Omar Barakat, was among at least 12 people killed; though United Nations officials in Geneva said the death toll was unclear. Aghast at the attack, United Nations officials on Tuesday suspended all aid convoys in the war-ravaged country, describing the bombing as a possible war crime and calling the bombers cowards.
The attack threatened to completely unravel a fragile agreement between Russia and the United States, which support opposite sides in the Syria conflict, and neither the Russians nor the Americans were ready to publicly blame each other.
American officials had initially suggested that either Syrian or Russian warplanes had carried out the attack. But speaking on the condition of anonymity because they were discussing intelligence information, they said it appeared that Russian aircraft were responsible.
“We have no indication that anything other than Russian tactical aircraft were in the air at the time the convoy was struck, to include both strike and reconnaissance aircraft,” said an American official. “We have seen no indication that it was anything other than an airstrike.”
Col. John J. Thomas, a spokesman for United States Central Command, told reporters at the Pentagon on Tuesday that warplanes of the American-led coalition that is fighting the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria had not carried out the attack. “We do think it was an airstrike,’’ he said. “We know it wasn’t us. We’ll look to the Syrians and the Russians to tell us what they know.”
The strike on the trucks, which were carrying critically needed food and medical supplies bound for rebel-held areas of Syria’s western Aleppo Province, took place shortly after the Syrian military declared that it regarded a seven-day partial cease-fire as over.
The convoy, escorted by the Syrian Arab Red Crescent, was among the first to try to deliver humanitarian aid to rebel-held areas under the cease-fire agreement. Members of the group said its local chief, Omar Barakat, was among at least 12 people killed in the attack, though United Nations officials in Geneva said the death toll was uncertain.
The International Committee of the Red Cross said in a statement that about 20 civilians were killed and much of the aid destroyed. Peter Maurer, the organization’s president, called the attack a “flagrant violation” of international law.The International Committee of the Red Cross said in a statement that about 20 civilians were killed and much of the aid destroyed. Peter Maurer, the organization’s president, called the attack a “flagrant violation” of international law.
Both Syria and Russia, its principal ally in the conflict, denied responsibility for the bombing. The United States Central Command said the attack had not been carried out by American military aircraft, Reuters reported. While both Syria and Russia, the Syrian government’s principal ally in the conflict, denied responsibility for the bombing, the Russian account varied over 24 hours.
Russia initially suggested that artillery fire from rebels had hit the convoy. Later Russia suggested the trucks had been set on fire. On Tuesday afternoon, Russia’s Defense Ministry said drone video footage showed that a “terrorists’ pickup truck” armed with a mortar had accompanied the convoy, the Tass news agency reported. This appeared to raise the possibility that the intended target had been a vehicle of militants.
Ammar al-Salmo, who runs the Aleppo operations of the Syrian Civil Defense, a group of volunteer rescue workers also called the White Helmets, described the wreckage in this video.Ammar al-Salmo, who runs the Aleppo operations of the Syrian Civil Defense, a group of volunteer rescue workers also called the White Helmets, described the wreckage in this video.
The head of the United Nations agency that coordinates aid, Stephen O’Brien, said the attack would amount to a war crime if it were found to have targeted humanitarian aid workers. He called for an independent investigation.The head of the United Nations agency that coordinates aid, Stephen O’Brien, said the attack would amount to a war crime if it were found to have targeted humanitarian aid workers. He called for an independent investigation.
The photograph below shows Syrians gathering near the damaged aid trucks on Tuesday.The photograph below shows Syrians gathering near the damaged aid trucks on Tuesday.
Witnesses said multiple strikes had hit the convoy as workers were unloading aid, and then hit rescue workers who arrived to help. Witnesses said multiple strikes had hit the convoy as workers were unloading aid, and then hit rescue workers who arrived to help the injured.
Eighteen of the convoy’s 31 trucks — which United Nations officials say were clearly marked and were carrying wheat flour, nine tons of medicine and clothing for about 78,000 people — were destroyed. Benoit Carpentier, a spokesman for the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, said a hospital had also been destroyed.Eighteen of the convoy’s 31 trucks — which United Nations officials say were clearly marked and were carrying wheat flour, nine tons of medicine and clothing for about 78,000 people — were destroyed. Benoit Carpentier, a spokesman for the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, said a hospital had also been destroyed.
Aid convoys have endured sniper fire and shelling during the five years of the Syrian conflict, but Monday’s attack is believed to be the first time one was hit by an airstrike. Aid convoys have endured sniper fire and shelling during the five years of the Syrian conflict, but the attack on Monday is thought to be the first time one was hit by an airstrike.
Our Beirut bureau chief, Anne Barnard, has written about the Syrian Red Crescent and the risks its volunteers take to deliver aid to people on all sides of the war.Our Beirut bureau chief, Anne Barnard, has written about the Syrian Red Crescent and the risks its volunteers take to deliver aid to people on all sides of the war.
The convoy attack and the declaration by the military were the strongest signs yet of the gradual unraveling of a broader agreement between Russia and the United States aimed at restarting peace talks to end the conflict in Syria, which has killed an estimated 500,000 people and displaced millions.The convoy attack and the declaration by the military were the strongest signs yet of the gradual unraveling of a broader agreement between Russia and the United States aimed at restarting peace talks to end the conflict in Syria, which has killed an estimated 500,000 people and displaced millions.
The Times chronicled the seven-day cease-fire negotiated by Washington and Moscow — which back opposite sides in the conflict — through the observations of Syrians around the country. By Day 5, it was clear the agreement was unraveling. The Times chronicled the seven-day cease-fire negotiated by Washington and Moscow through the observations of Syrians around the country. By Day 5, it was clear the agreement was unraveling.
John Kirby, spokesman for the State Department, called Monday’s attack an “egregious violation” of the agreement, but on Tuesday, Secretary of State John Kerry declared: “The cease-fire is not dead.” John Kirby, a spokesman for the State Department, called the attack on the convoy an “egregious violation” of the agreement. Still, Secretary of State John Kerry said on Tuesday, “The cease-fire is not dead.”
Mr. Kerry met with his Russian counterpart, Sergey V. Lavrov, and other diplomats representing the International Syria Support Group in New York on Tuesday morning as the United Nations General Assembly got underway. Further meetings of the support group, a 17-nation effort to halt the conflict led by Mr. Kerry and Mr. Lavrov, planned further meetings this week. Mr. Kerry met with his Russian counterpart, Foreign Minister Sergey V. Lavrov, and other diplomats representing the International Syria Support Group in New York on Tuesday morning as the United Nations General Assembly session got underway. The support group, a 17-nation effort to halt the conflict led by Mr. Kerry and Mr. Lavrov, planned to hold additional meetingsthis week.
“The mood of the meeting was very much that nobody wants to give this thing up,” said Boris Johnson, the British foreign secretary. “Quite frankly, the Kerry-Lavrov process is the only show in town, and we’ve got to get that show back on the road.” “The mood of the meeting was very much that nobody wants to give this thing up,” said Boris Johnson, Britain’s foreign secretary. “Quite frankly, the Kerry-Lavrov process is the only show in town, and we’ve got to get that show back on the road.”
France’s foreign minister, Jean-Marc Ayrault, was less optimistic. He said the effort by Mr. Kerry and Mr. Lavrov had “reached its limits.” Mr. Ayrault said he had suggested at the meeting a way to monitor any cease-fire to “verify that on the ground it is being respected.” Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault of France said the effort by Mr. Kerry and Mr. Lavrov had “reached its limits.” Mr. Ayrault said he had suggested at the meeting a way to monitor any cease-fire to “verify that on the ground it is being respected.”
Max Fisher, part of the team that writes the Interpreter column for The Times, wrote last week about how even cease-fire agreements that seem to fail miserably can move the ball toward eventually ending conflicts. Last month, he had this explanation for why Syria’s conflict only seems to ever get worse. Max Fisher, part of the team that writes the Interpreter column for The Times, wrote last week that even cease-fire agreements that appear to have failed miserably can sometimes help lead eventually to ending conflicts. Last month, he had this explanation for why Syria’s conflict only seems to get increasingly worse.
Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, in his opening speech to the General Assembly on Tuesday, denounced the convoy bombing in strong terms, his voice tense with anger.Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, in his opening speech to the General Assembly on Tuesday, denounced the convoy bombing in strong terms, his voice tense with anger.
“Just when we think it cannot get any worse, the bar of depravity sinks lower,” Mr. Ban said in the speech, his last as leader of the organization after a decade in the job, much of it preoccupied with Syria. “Just when we think it cannot get any worse, the bar of depravity sinks lower,” Mr. Ban said in the speech, his last after a decade as leader of the organization, much of it preoccupied with Syria.
“The humanitarians delivering lifesaving aid were heroes,” he added. “Those who bombed them were cowards.”“The humanitarians delivering lifesaving aid were heroes,” he added. “Those who bombed them were cowards.”