Russia’s coordination with Syrian President Bashar Assad on the siege of Aleppo works against Moscow’s pledge to uphold a cease-fire and get new leadership in place, the White House said on Friday.
Humanitarian groups are going further, saying Russia’s “escape corridors” out of rebel-held neighborhoods are a ruse offering civilians dangerous passage along routes Assad’s forces continue bombing.
Ahmad Ramadan from the opposition Syrian National Coalition accused Russia and the regime of forcing civilians to flee through continued bombing raids.
“Aleppo residents are calling the corridors that Russia is talking about ‘death corridors,'” the Syrian National Coalition’s leader told Agence France-Presse.
The Syrian Opposition High Negotiations Committee on Thursday asked the United Nations to assume control of these Russian corridors. By Friday, the U.N.’s Syrian envoy was also asking Russia to turn over control.
“Our suggestion is [for] Russia to actually leave the corridors being established at their initiative to us,” the envoy, Staffan de Mistura, told AFP.
“The proposed corridors are a euphemism for Russia’s efforts to alter Aleppo’s demographics and ensure forced displacement as a result of the terrible siege and bombardment suffered by the population,” the Syrian Opposition group wrote in a letter to the United Nations.
“The forcible displacement of Aleppo’s population is a war crime perpetrated by the Syrian regime and a permanent member of the Security Council. The displacement of Aleppo’s population runs contrary to the political process and efforts to seek a political solution” that the U.N. has endorsed, the letter stated.
The White House is not accusing Russia of war crimes, but spokesman Eric Schultz said the Obama administration is watching the Aleppo situation.
“Over the last few weeks, the Russian and Assad regime offensive have effectively cut off the opposition-held parts of the city. This only exacerbates the humanitarian situation by laying siege to some 300,000 civilians,” Schultz said.
The U.S. is “taking a look at Russia’s announcement of humanitarian corridors, but given their record on this, we’re skeptical to say the least,” he added.
“Unfortunately, Russia’s involvement here is consistent with what we’ve seen from them over the past few months, which is, instead of focusing on the threat posed by [the Islamic State], they are instead choosing to prop up the Assad regime,” Schultz said. “We believe that’s not only counter to the national security of the United States, but it is also counter to the stated goals of a political transition inside Syria.
“As you know, that’s not only our stated goal; Russia has stated that is a goal,” he said. “So by continuing to prop up the Assad regime, we’re only delaying the inevitable … Russia is at a point where they’re going to have to make a decision whether they want to continue to prop up the Assad regime … or keep to its word, which as they have said, the only way to solve Syria right now is a political transition.”
