Russia and the United States clashed at the United Nations on Tuesday, each accusing the other of backing terrorism during a Security Council session addressing the recent escalation of fighting in Syria.
Last week, Syrian rebels took control of Aleppo in an assault led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), a group formerly known as the Nusra Front, which was once al-Qaeda’s branch in Syria before severing ties in 2016. HTS is currently under U.N. Security Council sanctions.
U.S. Deputy Ambassador to the U.N., Robert Wood, urged de-escalation and civilian protection, expressing concern that the offensive was led by HTS. He stated, “The fact that HTS is designated as a terrorist group by both the U.S. and the U.N. does not excuse the Assad regime and its Russian allies from committing further atrocities,” accusing them of causing civilian casualties in attacks on schools and hospitals.
In a direct response, Russia’s U.N. Ambassador, Vassily Nebenzia, criticized Wood, saying, “You lacked the courage to condemn a clear terrorist attack against innocent civilians in peaceful Syrian cities.”
