Syria war: Russia rejects US calls to halt bombing eastern Aleppo

BBC NEWS

Russia has said it will carry on bombing rebel-held eastern Aleppo in Syria, defying US demands to stop.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Thursday that the Russian air force would continue its support of the Syrian armed forces. He also urged Washington to deliver on a pledge to separate moderate Syrian opposition fighters from "terrorists". It comes after the US warned that it will end talkson military co-operation unless Moscow stops the bombing.

US state department spokesman John Kirby said on Wednesday that Russia had an interest in stopping the violence in Syria. He said the conflict presents extremists with an opportunity to "exploit the vacuums" in the region and launch attacks "against Russian interests, perhaps even Russian cities". The recent cessation deal was meant to lead to joint Russian-US air strikes on so-called Islamic State and Jabhat Fateh al-Sham (formerly known as al-Nusra Front).

However Russia has complained the US has not done enough to separate the more moderate rebel groups which it backs from Jabhat Fateh al-Sham. Many of these groups have formed a strategic alliance with the more powerful Jabhat Fateh al-Sham and fight alongside it. Despite growing tensions between the two nations, Mr Peskov said Russia remains interested in pursuing talks with the US in an effort to resolve the crisis in Syria.

His comments echo a statement from Moscow, which insisted it would send diplomats to Geneva to discuss ways of normalising the situation with the US. US Deputy Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Thursday that national security agencies were reviewing all options to try to end the Syrian civil war. He said President Barack Obama had asked "all of the agencies to put forward options, some familiar, some new, that we are very actively reviewing". "When we are able to work through these in the days ahead we'll have an opportunity to come back and talk about them in detail," he said.

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Image captionRussian-backed Syrian government forces have launched a concerted campaign to recapture Aleppo

On Wednesday, US Secretary of State John Kerry warned that Washington would end talks unless Moscow stopped its bombardment of Aleppo.

Meanwhile Turkey has said it will work with Russia on putting in place another ceasefire after the previous agreement collapsed.

Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu told reporters in Ankara "we are more than ready" but emphasised that nations have to try harder to find a political resolution in order for an agreement to be effective.

Aleppo has come under heavy aerial bombardment since the partial truce deal disintegrated a week ago.

Some 250,000 people are trapped in the east in appalling conditions, under siege from Russian-backed Syrian forces.

UN aid chief Stephen O'Brien has warned that Aleppo is facing an unprecedented humanitarian crisis.

Mr O'Brien, the under-secretary-general for humanitarian affairs, told the UN Security Council Aleppo had descended into a "merciless abyss of humanitarian catastrophe unlike any we have witnessed in Syria".

The US has accused Russia of taking part in strikes on civilian targets and possibly committing war crimes - charges Russia has strongly denied.