News / Syria

Syria writes to UN again to urge end to US 'war crimes'

Thursday, 28 September 2017 5:22 PM [ Last Update: Thursday, 28 September 2017 6:04 PM ]

The file photo taken by the US Air Forces Central Command shows a pair of US Air Force F-15E warplanes flying over northern Iraq after conducting airstrikes in Syria. (Via AFP)

Syria has written to the UN again, urging the world body to take immediate action against a US-led bombing campaign, which is taking a heavy toll on civilians and devastating the country's infrastructure.

In two letters addressed to the UN chief and the Security Council chairman, the Syrian Foreign and Expatriates Ministry has denounced repeated US attacks on civilians and the country's infrastructure.

The letters cited a deadly US airstrike on al-Suwar town in eastern Dayr al-Zawr Province on Wednesday and a similar air raid on Markadah town in the northwestern Hasakah Province, which killed a number of civilians.

The ministry accused the US of being engaged in “war crimes and crimes against humanity” in Syria under the pretext of fighting Daesh.

Damascus also regretted that some countries, which claim to respect human rights and international law, are members of the US-led coalition, urging them to leave an alliance that has marred their reputation and "shed plenty of the Syrians’ blood in their name.”

In the letters, Syria demanded a swift action by the UN Security Council to stop “barbarous crimes” and “gross violations” of international humanitarian law by the US and its allies.

The picture taken on September 5, 2017 shows smoke billowing from a building following a US airstrike on a western neighborhood in Syrian city of Raqqah. (Photo by AFP)

The US and its allies have been bombing Syria since September 2014. The strikes have resulted in many civilian casualties and failed to fulfill their declared aim of countering terrorism.

‘Dayr al-Zawr to be retaken in a week’

On Thursday, fighting raged on in Dayr al-Zawr, with one Syrian army officer saying the strategic city will be recaptured from Daesh in a week.

Terrorists, he said, were using heavy weapons, explosive-laden vests and car bombs to slow army advances, which have gained momentum in recent months.

"The city of Dayr al-Zawr will be liberated in a week at the most and we'll free some of the suburbs too," the officer identified only as Ibrahim added.

"The cost will undoubtedly be high… It's a challenging battleground. From dense urban areas to lush river banks and even trenches,” he said.

Earlier this month, Syrian government forces broke the three-year-long Daesh siege on Dayr al-Zawr.

With Daesh's defense lines broken, a ragtag grouping of mostly Kurdish militants supported by the US has also been on the march in a bid to carve out a foothold in the oil- and gas-rich province.

The convergence of the two rival operations has increased tensions in Dayr al-Zawr and raised the possibility of a confrontation between them.

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