The US State Department reacted to a message from the Russian Center for the Reconciliation of the warring parties in Syria about US air strikes on the Idlib de-escalation zone. The US Foreign Ministry said that the Russian media allegedly disseminate false allegations.

“We completely reject the efforts of the Russian media to advance false allegations, rather than highlighting the humanitarian crisis exacerbated by the Assad regime and its allies ... This is an obvious attempt to divert attention from the widely condemned airstrikes from the Assad regime and Russia on civilians in Idlib,” - TASS reports the State Department.

Recall that earlier the CPVS reported that the United States launched an air strike on the Idlib de-escalation zone, which led to numerous casualties and destruction. At the same time, Washington jeopardized the ceasefire, which began to operate in that area on August 31, 2019, and violated the agreements reached without warning Moscow and Ankara about the impending attacks.

“By their actions, the United States jeopardized the continued maintenance of a ceasefire in the Idlib de-escalation zone, and frustrated it in a number of directions,” the Central Military Police Department said.

The State Department noted that the strike was “accurate and targeted,” and its goal was the al-Qaeda leaders * in Syria, who are “responsible for planning attacks that pose a threat to US citizens,” state partners and civilians.
They also said that Russia should "use its influence on the Assad regime to put an end to indiscriminate bombing directed against civilians, humanitarian workers and infrastructure."

At the same time, it is unclear what kind of bombing is in question, since on August 31, a ceasefire regime began to operate in the Idlib de-escalation zone. This step should allow civilians to leave the area held by militants. The CPVS noted that a strike by American aviation provoked shelling by armed groups, but the Syrian troops adhere to a moratorium on conducting military operations in order to achieve an early peaceful settlement of the situation in Idlib.

  • Consequences of a U.S. strike on terrorists in Idlib
  • © Syria Civil Defense in the Governorate of Idlib / Handout via REUTERS

The reaction of the Russian Foreign Ministry to the blows

Meanwhile, American attacks were criticized by the Russian Foreign Ministry. The department also noted that such actions jeopardized the ceasefire, and pointed to Washington's inconsistency.

“On the one hand, American representatives from all the stands, including the UN, demand to stop the escalation of tension in Idlib, stir up passions in connection with the suffering of the civilian population, ignoring the unprecedented concentration of terrorists recognized as such by the UN Security Council. On the other hand, they inflict an air strike, resulting in large-scale destruction and casualties, ”the report emphasizes.

Diplomats also wondered “why American bombs are“ better ”than Russian and why US terrorist targets are more“ legitimate ”than terrorist targets that were destroyed by Syrian government forces with the support of Russian aviation.”

Dropped out of the negotiation process

The US cannot allow Turkey and Russia to play the main role in resolving the Syrian conflict, said State Duma deputy Adalbi Shkhagoshev. Because of this “jealousy," they attacked Idlib, the parliamentarian said in a conversation with RT. In his opinion, the US has now “dropped out” of the negotiations on the Middle East, especially on Syria.

“Just two days ago, there was an agreement on a cease-fire by Assad, this decision, which was worked out by Erdogan and Putin, was reported to the current government, Assad, and, accordingly, the process went. It’s absolutely obvious, and the whole world, penetrating, thinking, understands that now affairs in Syria are being resolved within the framework of the Turkey-Iran-Russia triangle, of course, in cooperation with Syria, ”the deputy believes.

The United States could join the settlement process in Syria, but they cannot do this on their own terms. Therefore, they can only undermine the role of Russia through information campaigns, said Shkhagoshev.

“The United States can return to the normal negotiation process at any time, but the problem is that the United States will not be able to return there now as they see themselves - how they behaved and how much weight they had in the Middle East a few years ago. This does not suit them now. That’s why they today all the time say that this is misinformation, that Russia is to blame, that the media don’t convey it that way, ”the politician comments.

The strike on Idlib was also needed in order to help groups loyal to Washington, said Boris Dolgov, leading researcher at the Center for Arab and Islamic Studies at the Institute of Oriental Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences, RT. Thus, the accusations of Syria and Russia in violation of human rights are just a cover, the expert is sure.

“The attacks were carried out according to official American statements, allegedly at Al-Qaeda facilities and, in particular, at Al-Qaeda command posts, but in reality they were attacks against those groups that pose threats to other groups allied with the United States in Idlib. Therefore, there is such a discreditation of the actions of both the Syrian army and the Russian air forces in order to cover up the actions of the Americans and present the situation in Idlib in a completely different light, ”says Dolgov.

At the same time, the practical benefits of these bombings are extremely low, said Alexander Gusev, director of the Institute for Strategic Planning, Doctor of Political Sciences. According to him, the fate of the militants in Idlib is already a foregone conclusion.

“It is obvious to everyone that the Americans launched an air strike, which killed dozens or hundreds of civilians. Of course, one could do without these airstrikes, especially since Idlib was blocked, including by Assad’s troops. There is a fairly tight ring, as they say, the surrender of Idlib is a matter of time, ”said the expert.

* Al-Qaeda - an organization recognized as terrorist by decision of the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation of 02.14.2003