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U.S. Officials Say Russia May Have Been Responsible for Convoy Attack U.S. Officials Say Russia Probably Attacked U.N. Humanitarian Convoy
(about 3 hours later)
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. Russia was probably responsible for the deadly bombing of a United Nations humanitarian aid convoy in Syria, American officials said Tuesday, further shredding what remained of a severely weakened agreement between the United States and Russia aimed at halting the war.
The officials said that the administration wanted 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. Aghast at the attack on Monday night, United Nations officials on Tuesday suspended all aid convoys in Syria, describing the bombing as a possible war crime and a cowardly act.
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 suspension was announced as the United Nations was convening its annual General Assembly meetings in New York, where the five-year-old Syria war has become the organization’s most anguishing challenge.
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. “Just when we think it cannot get any worse, the bar of depravity sinks lower,” Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said in his opening remarks to the gathering, his last as leader of the United Nations after 10 years. Mr. Ban called the attack on the convoy “sickening, savage and apparently deliberate.”
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. Publicly, the Obama administration said it held Russia responsible, in its role as a sponsor of the partial cease-fire agreement that it reached last week with United States. But the Americans still held out the possibility of salvaging the agreement. Benjamin Rhodes, the deputy national security adviser, said Russia should have ensured a halt to air operations in an area where “humanitarian assistance is flowing.”
“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.” Privately, American officials said their intelligence information suggested Russian aircraft had actually carried out the attack.
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 American officials said that the Obama administration wanted to allow Moscow the time and space to investigate and announce its own conclusions about the bombing, which destroyed 18 of 31 trucks authorized to travel to a rebel-held area in northern Syria.
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 bombing was the second disaster in three days to subvert the agreement between Russia and the United States, which had called for a weeklong cease-fire, humanitarian aid deliveries, collaboration by the two powers on targeting militant extremists in Syria and a buildup of trust to eventually resume peace talks.
On Saturday, an errant American airstrike that was supposed to target Islamic State militants in Syria instead killed 60 people that Syria’s government and its Russian allies identified as Syrian soldiers; they suggested that the assault was deliberate, despite American apologies.
The United States has the ability to track warplanes and other aircraft in the region — through radar and other sensors — and the Pentagon has determined with “very high probability” that a Russian Su-24 attack plane was directly over the convoy less than a minute before the airstrike was reported, a senior American official said.
“We have a very good picture of the skies over Syria, as well as where there’s activity,” the official said. “We know the plane in question was Russian, not Syrian, and was directly overhead.”
American analysts are assessing photographs of the bomb damage that could be tied to the weapons the Su-24 carries. They are also checking for any intercepted communications from the Russian pilot to determine why the convoy was struck.
“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 another American official. “We have seen no indication that it was anything other than an airstrike.”
The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were discussing classified intelligence information.
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’ll look to the Syrians and the Russians to tell us what they know,” he said.
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 the 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 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.
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. While both Syria and Russia denied responsibility for the bombing, the Russian account evolved 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. Some Russian officials suggested that artillery fire from rebels had hit the convoy. Later, some officials suggested the trucks had been set on fire. On Tuesday afternoon, Russia’s Defense Ministry said a drone video had shown 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. But the drone video shows the aid convoy stationary, at the side of the road, and what appears to be a truck towing a mortar passing by. The video does not appear to establish any further connection between the convoy and the mortar truck, nor anything that would make the convoy a legitimate target.
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. “In terms of aid worker victims, this particular incident of an aerial bombing of an aid convoy is unprecedented in scale,” said Abby Stoddard, who studies attacks on aid workers for Humanitarian Outcomes, a research and advocacy group.
Witnesses said multiple strikes had hit the convoy as workers were unloading aid, and then hit rescue workers who arrived to help the injured.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. United Nations officials said 18 trucks — clearly marked and 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 the attack on Monday is thought 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. John Kirby, a spokesman for the State Department, called the attack on the convoy an “egregious violation” of the agreement with Russia.
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. Secretary of State John Kerry said he believed the agreement was not dead.
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. Mr. Kerry conferred 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.
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.” The support group, a 17-nation effort to halt the conflict that is led by Mr. Kerry and Mr. Lavrov, planned to hold additional 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, 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.”
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 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.
“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.”