Fragile Syrian ceasefire in doubt

World Today

Despite of the ceasefire, airstrikes have resumed on parts of Aleppo.

In Syria, the future of a weeklong ceasefire is in doubt after a series of deadly airstrikes, a nasty diplomatic dispute and a failure to deliver humanitarian aid.

CCTV’s Malini Wilkes has more.

Nearly a week after a ceasefire began, airstrikes are taking place on a rebel-held neighborhood of Aleppo.

But it was an attack on Saturday that may have pushed the truce to the brink of collapse- a series of U.S. airstrikes in the eastern city of Deir al Zour that left dozens of Syrian government soldiers dead.

The Pentagon said in a statement:

“… if we mistakenly struck a Syrian military position we regret doing so, especially the loss of lives… the coalition aircraft conducting the mission believed they were striking ISIL forces…”

The Syrian government said more than 80 soldiers were killed and called the attack deliberate. Both Syria and Russia accused the U.S. of underhanded support for ISIL, and other terror groups fighting the Syrian government.

Bashar al-Jaafari, Syrian Ambassador to the United Nations, says it was a sery serious attack against Syria itself.

“It’s crystal clear evidence of the support by the United States and their allies to the Daesh organization and other terrorist armed groups,” said al-Jaafari.

Vitaly Churkin, Russian amassador to the United Nations said the timing of the attack was suspicious.

“After all they did nothing when ISIL was advancing on Palmyra. ISIL made a hundred mile march without being attacked by the coalition,” Churkin pointed out.

The suggestion that the U.S. would cooperate with ISIL has angered the U.S. Ambassador to the UN.

With the two countries that brokered the ceasefire – the U.S. and Russia – engaged in a bitter squabble – it’s unclear if they can still collaborate on key parts of the agreement, like setting up a joint center to target ISIL and other terror groups.

Another key provision of the truce: trucks full of humanitarian aid were to deliver supplies to Aleppo. But the convoys remain stuck at the Turkish border, waiting for a guarantee of safe passage.