© www.mk.ruMajor General Igor Konashenkov
the Russian Defense Ministry said Wednesday, commenting on alleged Belgian airstrike against a Syrian village in northern Aleppo.
The Russian center for Syrian reconciliation said Tuesday it had received local reports of an
airstrike on the Syrian village of Hassajek that killed six people and wounded at least four. According to its bulletin, Russian or Syrian aircraft did not operate in the area at the time of the strike while
air traffic control systems detected two F-16 fighter jets of the Air Force of the Kingdom of Belgium at the time of the strike.
© Sputnik InternationalBelgian Air Force F-16
Earlier in the day,
Belgian Defense Minister Steven Vandeput dismissed claims regarding the country's responsibility for the airstrike on the village of Hassajek near Aleppo that killed six people.
"Russia has effective air defense means, which ensure
round-the-clock monitoring of the air situation practically over all the territory of Syria and beyond," ministry's spokesman Maj. Gen. Igor Konashenkov said.
Konashenkov stated that
targeting mistakes by the member countries of the international coalition, including Belgium, unfortunately,
occur regularly. "Weddings, funerals, hospitals, police departments, humanitarian convoys and even Syrian troops, fighting against Daesh terrorists near Deir ez-Zor, become targets for coalition airstrikes," Konashenkov stressed.
Comment: Followup:
Russia expects the US-led counterterrorist coalition to condemn the latest deadly airstrike in Syria by one of its allies, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said Wednesday.
"We are waiting for an adequate response from the coalition, of course from Belgium, from all international institutions that are so concerned about attacks on Aleppo carried out by the Russian Aerospace Forces, including the attributed civilian casualties," Zakharova told reporters. "If we do not have direct condemnation of the coalition's actions, particularly that of the Belgian Air Force, we will have no other option than to consider what is happening now as an attempt to keep the militants in Syria," Zakharova said.
"If there is no action on the part of the coalition and all those who have expressed concern about the humanitarian situation [and] its resolution, then the aim was not at all the humanitarian situation in Aleppo. This will be direct and unequivocal evidence of support for militants," Zakharova stressed.
Comment: Followup:
Russia expects the US-led counterterrorist coalition to condemn the latest deadly airstrike in Syria by one of its allies, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said Wednesday.
"We are waiting for an adequate response from the coalition, of course from Belgium, from all international institutions that are so concerned about attacks on Aleppo carried out by the Russian Aerospace Forces, including the attributed civilian casualties," Zakharova told reporters. "If we do not have direct condemnation of the coalition's actions, particularly that of the Belgian Air Force, we will have no other option than to consider what is happening now as an attempt to keep the militants in Syria," Zakharova said.
"If there is no action on the part of the coalition and all those who have expressed concern about the humanitarian situation [and] its resolution, then the aim was not at all the humanitarian situation in Aleppo. This will be direct and unequivocal evidence of support for militants," Zakharova stressed.