UN Security Council meets on Syria
Kerry calls for immediate “no-fly zone”
US says it will resume aid convoys
Russia denies involvement in Monday’s convoy attack
US blames Russia but insists truce “not dead”
Russia and the US have traded blame at a special UN Security Council meeting on Syria in New York.
An attack on an aid convoy near Aleppo on Monday left at least 20 people dead and the shaky Syrian ceasefire in tatters.
Russia has categorically denied involvement and is calling for a “thorough and impartial” investigation of what happened.
Calling the attack “a flagrant violation of international law,” the US is calling for a no-fly zone to be brought in immediately.
What is happening on the ground in Syria?
Agencies report that Syrian rebels and pro-government forces are battling each other along major front lines near Aleppo and Hama.
Air strikes have reportedly killed at least a dozen people, including four medical workers.
The renewed fighting demonstrates the slim prospects for reviving the truce that collapsed into fresh fighting and bombardments on Monday.
US officials believe an attack on an aid convoy on Monday was carried out by Russian jets.
Moscow has denied any involvement.
What happened on Monday?
At least 20 civilians died in what witnesses have described as an aerial attack on a humanitarian convoy of aid lorries near Aleppo.
The Syrian Red Crescent says the head of its local office was among those killed.
There has been furious international condemnation.
Both Russia and Syria insist their forces were not involved.
What has the UN said?
Late on Wednesday, the UN announced it will resume aid convoys in Syria after they were suspended in the wake of Monday’s attack.
The Latest: The United Nations says it will resume aid convoys within Syria after an attack on a convoy killed 20. https://t.co/indxlPDh5u— The Associated Press (@AP) September 21, 2016
Speaking about the attack earlier in the week, outgoing UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon’s language was unusually blunt.
“Powerful patrons, feeding the war machine, also have blood on their hands,” he said.
The UN has suspended all aid convoys in Syria in the wake of the attack.
Speaking at a UN Security Council high-level meeting on Syria on Wednesday, Special Envoy Staffan de Mistura insisted the conflict would not be resolved militarily.
Staffan de Mistura #UN Special Envoy for #Syria, Sergey #Lavrov FM of Russia & JohnKerry US Sec. of State at a Security Council on Syria pic.twitter.com/QSoGBvRlo8— United Nations Photo (UN_Photo) September 21, 2016
LIVE from UN Security Council: “The conflict in #Syria cannot be resolved militarily.” UN Special Envoy for Syria, Staffan de Mistura #UNGA pic.twitter.com/HWSYZzmyW1— UKUN_NewYork (UKUN_NewYork) September 21, 2016
What Russia says
The Russian Defence Ministry sa
