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Syria approval needed for any foreign troops deployment: Damascus

Thursday, 17 December 2015 3:04 PM [ Last Update: Thursday, 17 December 2015 3:54 PM ]

Bashar al-Jaafari, the Syrian ambassador to the United Nations (AFP photo)

Syria's ambassador to the UN has warned that any deployment of foreign troops to his country without the approval of Damascus would amount to a violation of international law.

Bashar al-Jaafari said on Thursday that plans by some countries to dispatch troops to Syria without the consent of the Syrian government and under the so-called pretext of fighting terrorist groups like Daesh would be a gross violation of the UN Charter which gives member states the right of sovereignty.

The comments by Jaafari came two days after Saudi Arabia, one of the main supporters of militants fighting against Syria government, said it has patched together a coalition of 34 Islamic countries to fight against terrorism in Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya, Egypt and Syria. Some governments, like Pakistan, Lebanon and Indonesia, said the name of their countries was included in the coalition without their knowledge. Riyadh has said that boots on the ground may be part of the campaign.

Jaafari, who was speaking to Russia’s Sputniknews, said Syria would remain open to bilateral or multilateral cooperation in fighting terrorism if the country's national sovereignty is respected and civilians are protected, Syria's officials news agency, SANA, reported.

The Syrian diplomat also slammed the United States and its allies for damaging Syria’s infrastructure and killing and maiming civilians in their attacks allegedly targeting Daesh Takfiri terrorists since August 2014, saying Syria maintains the right, under the international law, to claim compensation for the damage.

Jaafari called on the UN Security Council to “shoulder its responsibilities” regarding the uncoordinated attacks by the US-led coalition, saying the UNSC should take the necessary steps to prevent new coalition attacks on civilians.

Syria has submitted letters to the UN over the past weeks complaining that the US-led coalition warplanes had launched dozens of strikes against its economic facilities instead of hitting Daesh targets.

For more than four years, Syria has been grappling with militancy that it blames on certain foreign countries. The crisis has claimed the lives of more than 250,000 people and left over one million injured.

An alliance of Syrian military and volunteer fighters have been making advances against militant groups since Russia, following a request from Damascus, launched an air campaign against the militants across the Arab country on September 30.

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