US-Led Coalition Strikes Unrelated to Anti-Terror Efforts - Moscow

© Sputnik / Grigori Sisoyev / Go to the mediabankBriefing by Foreign Ministry Official Spokesperson Maria Zakharova
Briefing by Foreign Ministry Official Spokesperson Maria Zakharova - Sputnik International
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US-led coalition airstrikes have nothing to do with anti-terrorism efforts, the Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman said Wednesday as she expressed concern with recent civilian casualties.

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MOSCOW (Sputnik) — Maria Zakharova noted at a weekly briefing that 20 civilians have been killed in a May 27 coalition strike south of Raqqa. She voiced concern over the May 25 attack in Mayadin southeast of Deir Ezzor, where at least 35 civilians have been reportedly killed.

"We condemn such, to put it mildly, ill-conceived and ill-planned actions that are carried out under the pretext of combating international terrorism. Of course, they do not have any relation to the fight, especially to the effective fight against international terrorism," Zakharova said.

She stressed, "in fact, the air raids further exacerbate the already difficult situation in Syria, lead to an increase in the number of casualties among the peaceful Syrians, wreak havoc and destruction, play into the hands of terrorist organizations."

However, Russia's proposals on close cooperation in Syria with the United States remain on the table, the spokeswoman noted.

"After all, a large number of meetings and negotiations took place, but I again say that our proposals on close cooperation and on making this interaction real — not just at the level of political contacts in support of negotiations, but real daily interaction — they remain in force," Zakharova said.

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Zakharova noted that Washington had not shown any single strategy aimed at combating terrorism in Syria.

The ministerial spokeswoman also made an assumption that after the negotiations between Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and US President Donald Trump, the US leadership would gain an understanding and develop its vision on approaches to the settlement of the Syrian conflict.

On May 10, Lavrov arrived in Washington to hold meetings with Trump and US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson. As result of the visit, it was stated that Moscow and Washington should contribute to the settlement of international problems, including the Syrian crisis.

Syrian settlement talks take place on two parallel platforms: the UN-mediated Geneva talks, and the Astana talks, brokered by Russia, Turkey and Iran. The three aforementioned states are the guarantors of a nationwide Syrian ceasefire regime that came into force on December 30, 2016. In addition, the three states signed the memorandum on establishment of four safe zones in Syria, which entered into force on May 6. The latest round of the Geneva talks took place on March 23-31 and the fourth round of Astana talks was held on May 3-4.

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