The main topic of debates this month will be security cooperation with SCO, OSCE. The number of meeting will be dedicated to fighting with terrorism in Syria and Iraq.
On October 31, the UNSC discussed the situation in Yemen. The resolution 2312 condemning human traffiking in the country was adopted.
On situation in Syria
Former al-Nusra Front terrorist group during imposed humanitarian pause attempted to attack populated areas in Syria.
"Fighters of the Islamic State, Jabhat Fatah al-Sham terrorist organizations and similar groups were able to use the October 20-23 humanitarian pause," Zakharova said at a weekly briefing.
"They regrouped, replenished their arsenal, and then attempt to break the defense of the Syrian government forces by launching a broad offensive on western Aleppo on October 28-30," she stressed.
"Let me stress that the Russian aviation did not conduct airstrikes even in this circumstances," Maria Zakharova told journalists. The main problem that terrorist still have not been separated from moderate rebels by the US.
The Russian Aerospace Forces halted raids in the Syrian city of Aleppo for over two weeks in order to allow the United States meet its obligation to separate terrorists from the opposition, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman Maria Zakharova said Thursday.
"Russian aircraft has not conducted strikes on Aleppo, they were stopped on October 18. The main purpose is to enable the US to fulfill its obligations to separate the so-called opposition from the terrorists. However, so far this has not happened," Zakharova said at a weekly briefing.
Moreover, terrorists force Aleppo residents to pay for opportunity to leave the city. Terrorists ignore fundamental international law and basic human rights.
Meanwhile, Western propaganda machine continue to blame Russia for situation in the Middle East.
The US State Dept uses the materials of White Helmets, but they ignore information provided by Russian side.
On situation in Mosul
Situation in the city degrades. Iraq army was able to retake control over the city's TV station. But despite this fact, the residents continue to leave the city. Terrorists fleeing Syria from Mosul afte the US airstrikes, Zakharova said at the press briefing.
Moreover, populated areas often became targets of the US-led coalition airstrikes.
Russia is concerned over the worsening humanitarian situation amid a military operation in Iraqi Mosul, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said Thursday.
“In light of what is going on in Mosul and around it, we note with concern a degradation of the humanitarian situation,” Zakharova said.
“There are 6 humanitarian corridors opened in Aleppo, but there is nothing like this in Mosul. In Aleppo, two special corridors remain open for the safe exit of militants with arms and military equipment to other areas of Syria, in Mosul fighting continues until all militants are killed. Moreover, UN representatives are working in Aleppo, as well as Red Crescent and other international organizations, and journalists. In Mosul, there is no such humanitarian presence and media coverage of events,” Zakharova stressed.
On drug situation in Afghanistan
Opium production continues in Afghanistan. Drug threat continues to rise in the region. Russia is ready to cooperate with Afghanistan and international partners to fight drug threat, Zakharova toldjournalists.
On US soldiers crimes in Afghanistan
Russia welcomes a potential International Criminal Court (ICC) investigation of war crimes in Afghanistan possibly committed by US soldiers, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said Thursday.
"We believe that an objective review of criminal violence and foreign actions in Afghanistan, including by the US military, will prevent the recurrence of deaths among Afghan civilians during military operations," Zakharova said at a weekly briefing.
The ICC prosecutor’s office has cited alleged abuse of detainees from Afghanistan by US personnel from 2003 to 2005, and Bensouda reportedly is seeking to investigate the October 2015 attack on a Doctors Without Borders hospital in the northern Afghan city of Kunduz that killed 42 people including members of the medical aid group’s staff.
A US-led NATO mission in Afghanistan formally ended its operations in December 2014 after a 13-year presence in the country to help local authorities defeat the Taliban Islamist movement. Afghanistan, however, continues to be in political and social turmoil as jihadist groups exploit the country’s instability.
On Rasmussen's Statement
Former NATO chief Anders Fogh Rasmussen told Sky News in an interview that the world is on fire and it needs US as the world's policeman.
If the US become a world's policemen the world would not be able to avoid the third world war, Maria Zakharova told journalists.
On US pre-election campaign
Addressing the election campaign in the US, Zakharova underscored a key fact: people who'd blamed Russia for everything later changed their mind after being elected and tried to forge closer ties with Russia. However, those who had spoken about Russia in a positive way later became more tough on Russia.
