Russia defending Syria against terrorist groups: Expert

Russia has been defending Syria against terrorist groups with its military campaign, contrary to US accusations that Moscow is guilty of "barbarism" and war crimes in the country, an American writer and retired professor says.

During an emergency UN Security Council meeting on Sunday, Samantha Power, the US ambassador to the UN, accused Moscow of “barbarism” and war crimes for bombing Aleppo, Syria’s second-largest city.

“Instead of pursuing peace, Russia and Assad make war,” Power said. “What Russia is sponsoring and doing is not counter-terrorism. It is barbarism.”

The UK also criticized Russia. British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson said that last week's aid convoy bombing in which at least 20 people were killed would "constitute a war crime.”

The comments come amid increasing tensions between the US and Russia over Monday’s deadly strike on a humanitarian aid convoy near the city of Aleppo. Both sides blame each other for the attack.

“There’s no basis for calling Russia barbaric for defending the Syrian state from terrorist organizations,” said James Petras, who has published on Middle Eastern political issues.

“The US is essentially undermining any possibility of negotiations because the type of language they are using today is a way of demonizing Russia and undermining any negotiations,” Petras told Press TV on Monday.

“The rhetoric that the US is using in the UN is basically to distract attention from the US bombing of the Syrian military which killed over 70 Syrian troops and wounded a hundred,” he added.

On Monday, Russia criticized the US and UK for using "unacceptable" rhetoric. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov warned that such language might damage efforts to end the five-year conflict in Syria.

"We note that the tone and rhetoric used by official representatives from the UK and US is generally unacceptable and it can seriously damage the settlement process and our bilateral relations," he said at a news conference.

At least 162 people are believed to have died in Aleppo since last Monday, when a truce brokered by the US and Russia collapsed.

Peskov also warned that terrorist groups had used the failed truce to "regroup, replenish their arsenals and obviously prepare for offensive actions."

The Syrian army announced an end to the week-long ceasefire on September 19, after US-led coalition jets attacked a Syrian army base and an aid convoy was hit near the northwestern Syrian city of Aleppo.

Syria has been gripped by foreign-backed militancy since March 2011. Over the past few months, the Takfiri militants active in the Arab country have suffered major setbacks as the Syrian army has managed to liberate several areas.

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