US blames Russia for attack on aid convoy that killed 20 in Syria

The United States has blamed Russia for an attack on an aid convoy that killed 20 civilians.

The accusations were made as the United Nations announced it was suspending overland deliveries in Syria, jeopardising food and medical security for millions of besieged and hard-to-reach civilians.

Confusion continued about who struck the convoy, but the White House insisted it was either Russia or Syria.

White House deputy national security adviser Ben Rhodes said either way the US held Russia responsible because it was Russia’s job under the week-old ceasefire to prevent Syria’s air force from striking in areas where humanitarian aid was being transported.

‘All of our information indicates clearly that this was an airstrike,’ he said, rejecting the claim by Russia’s Defence Ministry that a cargo fire caused the damage. Both Russia and Syria have denied carrying out the bombing.

Within one minute of the strike, the US tracked a Russian-made Su-24 directly over the region of the attack, officials said. Even that revelation failed to definitively implicate Russia because both the Russian and Syrian air forces fly the Su-24, although the US officials said there were strong indications that the jet was flown by the Russian military.

Witnesses described Monday’s attack on a Syrian Arab Red Crescent warehouse and convoy in the rebel-held town of Uram al-Kubra in Aleppo province as prolonged and intense, saying the aerial bombardment continued as rescue workers rushed to pull the wounded from the flaming wreckage and rubble.