Although the US-led coalition undertook to restore Raqqa, one of the largest Syrian cities, it's still on the verge of a humanitarian disaster. The UNSC discussed it upon Russia’s initiative. The situation in Raqqa, which has been free of terrorists for 6 months, looks more like a combat epicenter. Why is Washington ignoring this?
Valentin Bogdanov reports on the issue. The ISIS Islamists called Syrian Raqqa their capital. Its liberation had an important propagandist effect for the US. But, after the victorious headlines ended, the city and its residents was set adrift.
Mark Lowcock, the UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs: "Raqqa has been free from ISIS since October, but it has unfavorable living conditions. 70-80% of houses in Raqqa are destroyed or damaged. Up to 95% of Raqqa's population don't have provisions".
A terrifying picture of a humanitarian disaster hides behind dry figures. There isn't enough food or water, schools are closed. They haven't even buried all the bodies yet. There are dead bodies underneath Raqqa's ruins.
Vasily Nebenzya, the Russian permanent representative to the UN: "The coalition had exiled the ISIS terrorists from the city over 6 months ago. Then, they basically occupied the territory. They didn't begin restoring the city, destroyed by air strikes. People returned here at their own risk, exploding on mines and IEDs. Nobody knew for sure what was happening in Raqqa. Until recently, nothing was done to even ensure that the UN determines the population's humanitarian needs".
The desperate residents protest under Syrian flags, demanding to stop the US invasion. They have an example of Aleppo that's been destroyed by the war. Over a short time, Russian and Syrian servicemen have cleared the city of mines, organized humanitarian aid supplies, and made the streets safe again. This annoys the US.
Kelli Karri, the Deputy US ambassador to the UN: "Russia has gathered us here to distract us from the Assad regime's atrocities. This is why Russia is focusing the UNSC's attention on the only part of Syria where Assad's regime cannot destroy the civilians with bombs and chemical weapons".
This could as well have been said by Nikki Haley, but she didn't attend the UNSC meeting. Donald Trump was extremely unhappy with the US ambassador's to the UN overactivity when she had spoken about the new anti-Russia sanctions before the White House did. One day after the night Tomahawk attack, Haley announced that the next batch of restrictions will be imposed on Russia as a punishment for Syria.
Vasily Nebenzya, the Russian permanent representative to the UN: "The goal is to use the bombs to force the Syrian President to negotiate, present it as a victory over him because, like, he only understands the language of force. Do they want to oust and prosecute him as a 'war criminal' after the negotiations? That's what Washington, London, and Paris are threatening to do. This goal cannot be reached. There shall be no illusions here. First, you need to compensate the losses you've inflicted on the political settlement prospects."
Another hit on such prospects was the chemical provocation in Douma, Syria. Meanwhile, the OPCW experts have already made it to the location.
Bashar Jaafari, Syria's permanent representative to the UN : "If the UN team finds the situation in Douma calm, the special mission will begin working there tomorrow. The Syrian government did their best to facilitate the experts's mission".
As the mission members got closer to Eastern Ghouta, the tone of the major US media began to change. In an article on the CNN website's main page, the network's Pentagon correspondent, Barbara Starr said that the US had no proof that sarin had been used. All the information was provided by the allies. She didn't specify them, but we suspect she wasn't talking about France.
Valentin Bogdanov and Ivan Utkin, Vesti from New York.
