Russian Foreign Ministry on Syria, Crimea Violence, and White Helmets
by Stephen Lendman (stephenlendman.org – Home – Stephen Lendman)
As in past reports, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova (MZ below) called conditions n Syria “complicated” – conflict resolution far from achieved because Trump regime hardliners reject it.
Implementation of the Russian/Turkish agreed on Idlib province demilitarized zone hasn’t been accomplished – because US-supported al-Nusra and other jihadists refuse to surrender their heavy weapons and leave – likely because of US orders.
It’s days past the October 15 demilitarization deadline. According to MZ, al-Nusra “unite(d) a number of other al-Qaeda affiliated groups, including Hurras al-Din and the Turkistan Islamic Party…establishing a joint (jihadist) command center with the aim of continuing their provocations.”
Turkey so far failed to meet its obligations to get them to comply with Idlib buffer zone conditions. Putin said he’d give Erdogan more time to convince terrorists he’s supported throughout the war to abide by the Idlib agreement.
On the east bank of the Euphrates, US-supported ISIS fighters captured hundreds of civilians, holding them hostage as human shields.
US-led terror-bombing continues, including use of white phosphorous and other banned weapons, Washington guilty of high crimes of war and against humanity throughout years of conflict, aiming to topple Assad, wanting him replaced by pro-Western puppet rule.
MZ: “On October 15, the Nasib checkpoint opened on the Syrian-Jordanian border, thereby restoring passenger and freight traffic along an international motorway linking Beirut, Damascus and Amman.”
“It is hard to overestimate the significance of this event in the context of resuming economic activity in Syria, as well as its ties with neighboring countries.”
“Hundreds of thousands of Syrian refugees who have received temporary shelter in Jordan can now return home.”
At the same time, US-occupied southwestern Syria remains a haven for ISIS and other anti-government jihadists, terrorizing civilians in the area.
On October 17, masked gunmen armed with assault rifles at Crimea’s Kerch Polytechnic College reportedly killed at least 20 people, dozens of others injured, at least 16 in serious condition.
According to the Kremlin and Crimean authorities, a lone gunman was involved, contradicted by eyewitnesses explaining otherwise.
In an article on the incident, I asked how one gunman could be responsible for this number of mass casualties, likely needing time to reload several times?
After initially calling the incident a terrorist attack, Russian authorities changed what happened to multiple homicides.
MZ called the incident at Kerch Polytechnic College a “terrorist attack,” saying Russia’s law enforcement agencies initiated an investigation into what happened.
It’s unclear if foreign students were killed or wounded. Russian authorities are providing updates as new information is learned.
If multiple gunmen were involved, why are Moscow and Crimean authorities claiming otherwise? Why conceal what appeared to be a terrorist attack?
Commenting on the al-Qaeda-linked White Helmets masquerading as civil defense workers, MZ said “(s)hocking details are being (learned) about (their) activities” – calling them “pseudo-humanitarian aid providers,” adding:
Clearly they “completely discredited themselves as an authoritative data source,” complicit with terrorists instead of aiding their victims.
“It is only too obvious that the White Helmets…will continue doing their criminal jobs so long as it is required by their (US/UK-led Western) creators and sponsors.”
Its members are mercenaries, not volunteers as claimed. They know nothing about even elementary medical assistance.
They got “military training, including shooting and mine and blast training,” MZ explained.
Armed like jihadists they support, they prohibit “real doctors from treating the wounded.” Propaganda photos showing otherwise are staged.
“We have repeatedly spoken of another inhumane activity of the White Helmets: the illegal black transplantation market, which bloomed for many years under their protection,” said MZ.
“This activity is to be investigated. I believe that the facts which will be discovered and presented to the court and the public will shock everyone.”
“We will continue to monitor the situation and share with you new facts about the(ir) activities (including about their members) remaining in Syria who keep getting in the way of the peaceful process of bringing back to normal the life of the civilians.”
A Final Comment
MZ explained that RT was taken off air by Comcast in Chicago and Spectrum in various US cities, saying:
“In one case, this decision was based on the 2018 John McCain Amendment to the National Defense Law Act, which allows distributors to refuse broadcasting Russian content without giving reasons.”
“In another, it was based on a change in the broadcasting strategy: the operator claimed that the distribution of the television signal in the internet era was inexpedient.”
“At the same time, the available information indicates that the operator never cancelled the contracts with the rest of the channels.”
“Obviously, this part of the ongoing ousting of the RT and other Russian media, that offer an alternative view on world events and voice inconvenient facts for official Washington, from the American information landscape.”
“We are closely monitoring the developments of this situation. We state that such separate measures are links in one chain.”
“This ideology, the stratagem put in practice, contradicts the US statements on being committed to freedom of the media.”
I live in Chicago, followed RT on cable TV, its allotted channel replaced by commercialism, promoting things to avoid buying.
My newest book as editor and contributor is titled “Flashpoint in Ukraine: How the US Drive for Hegemony Risks WW III.”
