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NATO urges Russia to cease "attacks on Syrian opposition, civilians"

Xinhua, October 6, 2015 Adjust font size:

NATO on Monday called on Russia to immediately cease its attacks on the Syrian opposition and civilians, and to focus its efforts on fighting the Islamic State (IS, or ISIL).

In a statement issued after the North Atlantic Council meeting, the bloc criticized the military actions by Russia in Syria "led to civilian casualties."

The political decision-making body of the NATO held consultations on the recent military actions of Russia in and around Syria at a meeting convened by NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg.

NATO said "the attacks by the Russian Air Force on Hama, Homs, and Idlib which led to civilian casualties and did not target Da'esh", calling these actions are violations of Turkish and NATO airspace.

"Allies call on the Russian Federation to immediately cease its attacks on the Syrian opposition and civilians, to focus its efforts on fighting ISIL, and to promote a solution to the conflict through a political transition," the statement said.

NATO also expressed "strong solidarity" with Turkey, saying it "will continue to follow the developments on the South-Eastern borders of NATO very closely."

Stoltenberg discussed the situation in Turkey with the country's Foreign Minister Feridun Sinirlioglu on Monday in Brussels before he decided to convene the meeting.

Calling the military actions of Russia in and around Syria are "unacceptable," NATO chief said Russia's actions "are not contributing to the security and stability of the region."

Russian air force stationed in Syria has conducted 25 new missions in the last 24 hours hitting nine facilities of the IS group, the Russian Defense ministry said Monday.

Russian air forces consisting of 50 aircraft have performed over 80 missions, destroying around 50 terrorist facilities since Wednesday.

Turkey said on Monday that a Russian warplane violated its airspace on Saturday in the southern Yayladagi town of Hatay province near the Syrian border.

"The Russian aircraft exited Turkish airspace into Syria after it was intercepted by two F-16s from the Turkish Air Force, which were conducting patrols in the region," the Turkish Foreign Ministry said in a statement. Endit