UNITED NATIONS
\nRussia and the United States exchanged sharp accusations at the United Nations on Tuesday, each blaming the other for supporting terrorism during a Security Council session focused on the recent intensification of conflict in Syria.
\nThe escalation follows Syrian rebels\u2019 capture of Aleppo last week, an assault spearheaded by Hayat Tahrir Al-Sham (HTS). Formerly known as the Nusra Front, HTS was the official Syrian branch of Al-Qaeda until severing ties in 2016 and is designated as a terrorist group by the Security Council.
\nDeputy US Ambassador to the UN, Robert Wood, called for an easing of hostilities in Syria and prioritised the protection of civilians. He raised concerns over the involvement of Hayat Tahrir Al-Sham in the rebel offensive.
\n\u201cThe fact that HTS is listed as a terrorist organisation by the US and UN does not excuse the further atrocities committed by the Assad regime and its Russian allies,\u201d Wood remarked, accusing Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad\u2019s forces and Russia of civilian deaths in attacks on schools and hospitals.
\nIn a pointed response, Russia\u2019s UN Ambassador, Vassily Nebenzia, addressed Wood directly, stating: \u201cYou lacked the courage to condemn an obvious terrorist assault targeting peaceful civilians in tranquil Syrian cities.\u201d
\nNebenzia further criticised Washington, saying, \u201cThere is no expectation that the United States will ever genuinely fight against international terrorism. To be honest, we are glad to be on the opposite side of the barricades from you.\u201d
\nWood countered, asserting that Nebenzia was in \u201cno position to lecture\u201d the United States, accusing Moscow of supporting regimes that back terrorism globally. \u201cThe United States has fought the menace of terrorism for decades and will continue to do so,\u201d Wood affirmed.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
UNITED NATIONS Russia and the United States exchanged sharp accusations at the United Nations on Tuesday, each blaming the other for supporting terrorism during a Security Council session focused on the recent intensification of conflict in Syria. The escalation follows Syrian rebels\u2019 capture of Aleppo last week, an assault spearheaded by Hayat Tahrir Al-Sham (HTS). […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-447473","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","6":"category-world"},"yoast_head":"\n