Information
Equipo Nizkor
        Bookshop | Donate
Derechos | Equipo Nizkor       

18Sep16

Australian aircraft involved in airstrikes of Syrian military position

Australian Department of Defense issued a statement on Sunday, confirming that Australian aircraft involved in the U.S.-led airstrikes in Syria which killed more than 60 Syrian military personnel.

"Overnight Coalition aircraft were conducting airstrikes in Eastern Syria against what was believed to be a Daesh fighting position that the Coalition had been tracking for some time," the statement said.

"However, shortly after the bombing commenced, Russian officials advised the Combined Air Operations Center that the targets may have been Syrian military personnel."

"Bombing ceased immediately," it said.

It confirmed that Australian aircraft were among a number of international aircraft taking part in this Coalition operation around Dayr Az Zawr.

The Defense Department argued that Australian "would never intentionally target a known Syrian military unit or actively support Daesh (also known as IS)."

"Defence offers its condolences to the families of any Syrian personnel killed or wounded in this incident," the statement said.

"As Australians would expect, the U.S.-led Coalition will review this incident thoroughly and Australia will cooperate fully with this review."

More than 60 Syrian soldiers were killed on Saturday evening by the airstrikes of the U.S.-led anti-terror coalition against Syrian military positions in the eastern province of Deir al-Zour, reports said.

At the request of Russia, the United Nations Security Council held a closed-door emergency meeting on this issue on Saturday.

Russia accused the United States of violating their bilateral agreement which called for a cease-fire in Syria, saying the U.S.-led air strikes on Syrian military positions was a "bad omen" for the Russian-U.S. accord.

[Source: Xinhua, Canberra, 18Sep16]
Bookshop Donate Radio Nizkor

Syria War
small logoThis document has been published on 26Sep16 by the Equipo Nizkor and Derechos Human Rights. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, this material is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes.