Churkin: Sponsors of armed groups in Aleppo failed to convince terrorists to ceasefire, withdraw and allow civilians to get out

New York, SANA – The Russian ambassador to the United Nations Vitaly Churkin stressed that foreign sponsors of armed groups in eastern Aleppo have no willingness to positively influence terrorists and convince them to ceasefire, withdraw from the region and allow civilians to leave.

Speaking at the UN Security Council meeting held Wednesday to discuss the situation in Aleppo, Churkin said “ the UN staff “didn’t exercise the necessary pressure over the sponsors of illegal military groups in order to make possible cooperation between the armed groups and humanitarian workers” in order to evacuate patients and injured people from eastern Aleppo.

“The United Nations didn’t work through properly the operation of medical evacuations of the sick and wounded,” Churkin stated. “The work with opposition groups present in city and the local council was left to its own.”

He warned that the armed groups still receive weapons and ammunition, including TOW anti-tank missiles and American air defense systems.

R. Raslan / Ghossoun