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Russia Convenes ISSG Ceasefire Taskforce Meeting Over US Attack in Syria

© REUTERS / Michael DalderU.S. Foreign Secretary John Kerry (centre, 2L) and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov (centre, L) attend the International Syria Support Group (ISSG) meeting in Munich, Germany, February 11, 2016, together with members of the Syrian opposition and other officials
U.S. Foreign Secretary John Kerry (centre, 2L) and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov (centre, L) attend the International Syria Support Group (ISSG) meeting in Munich, Germany, February 11, 2016, together with members of the Syrian opposition and other officials - Sputnik International
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Russia is convening in Geneva an extraordinary session of the ISSG group amid the US missile attack on an airfield in Syria, a diplomatic source told Sputnik.

A member of the Syrian government forces walks in Deir Hafer on the eastern outskirts of Aleppo on March 30, 2017, after they took control of the town from Islamic State (IS) group fighters. - Sputnik International
UN Asking ISSG to Facilitate Access to Civilians, 72-Hour Truce In Syria - Envoy
GENEVA (Sputnik) – Russia is convening in Geneva an extraordinary session of the International Syria Support Group’s ceasefire taskforce in light of the US missile attack on an airfield in Syria, a diplomatic source told Sputnik.

"Russia is convening an extraordinary session of the ceasefire task force today at 17:00 [15:00 GMT]," the source said.

According to the source, the "latest development on the ground in relation to the US strike on the Ash Sha'irat airfield" would be discussed at the meeting.

The office of UN Special Envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura told Sputnik that the envoy was closely following the situation in Syria and consulting with relevant authorities.

The United States launched 59 Tomahawk cruise missiles at the Syrian military airfield in Ash Sha'irat near Homs late Thursday. US President Donald Trump said the attack was a response to the alleged chemical weapon use in Idlib on Tuesday, which Washington blames on Damascus.

Terrorist-controlled eastern Aleppo districts as seen from the city's Citadel. (File) - Sputnik International
US Talking With ISSG Partners to Plan Next Steps in Syria - State Dept.
On Tuesday, the Syrian National Coalition of Revolutionary and Opposition Forces reported a chemical weapon attack in Syria’s Idlib province. According to recent data provided by the World Health Organization (WHO), 84 people, including 27 children died in the suspected chemical attack.

After a 2013 chemical weapon attack in eastern Ghouta, Syria, which killed up to 1,500 people, Syria joined the Convention on the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons. The country's decision to join the convention came as result of a US-Russian agreement on the elimination of chemical weapons in Syria under OPCW control. In January 2016, the OPCW announced the completion of the chemical weapons disarmament in Syria.

On Thursday, Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Muallem said that the Syrian government forces had never used chemical weapons against civilians or terrorists and would never do that.

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