UNITED NATIONS (Sputnik) – On Wednesday, Amnesty International released a statement, clainming that airstrikes carried out by the Russian Aerospace Forces in Syria had allegedly caused casualties among civilians and destroyed or damaged several civilian facilities.
However, the Russian Defense Ministry denied the information, adding that the aim of such false media reports is to distract the international community from the four-year Syrian civil war, which has caused multiple civilian casualties.
"The SG notes with concern Amnesty Int report on alleged violations of international humanitarian law resulting of the Russian airstrikes in Syria. The UN cannot independently confirm the cases presented in the report," Haq said.
The deputy spokesman relayed Secretary General Ban Ki-moon's concern with the human rights group's report, but said the UN could not independently confirm the incidents presented in it.
