Syrian Coalition Decries the US-led Alliance’s Silence over Al Raqqa Massacre

Nasr al-Hariri, Secretary General of the Syrian Coalition, decries the silence of the US-led anti-ISIS coalition over Al Raqqa massacre in which dozens of civilians were killed by Assad’s air force. “The world chose to remain silent over one of Assad’s most horrible massacres, committed not only against the people of Al Raqqa, but against all humanity. Over 130 civilians were killed and hundreds wounded when Assad’s air force carried out nine air raids on the city. The US-led coalition’s lack of clear and coherent strategy on Syria would risks throwing many disappointed Syrians in the arms of extremist groups, not out of conviction of their fanatic principles, but out of the growing frustration over the failure of the international community to offer them a better alternative.” Hariri also said that, “it is strange how the US-led coalition’s warplanes rushed to punish the criminals who killed the US journalist James Foley but insists on ignoring Assad’s warplanes have killed thousands of children and women. The basic principle in the charters of Human Rights is that punishment is based on the type and characterization of the crime, not on the nature of the offender. The Syrians will not accept this duality that has so far characterized the strategy of the US-led coalition which is avenging the killing of Western citizens but turn a blind eye to the killing of hundreds of thousands Syrians at the hands of the Assad regime. Moreover, fighting terrorism in Syrian and the region piecemeal will not eliminate the threat of terrorism which swept the region with the direct support of Assad and his Iranian allies.” Hariri pointed out that the bombing that targeted Al Raqqa yesterday is not random at all, but a systematic and collective punishment inflicted on civilians.” (Source: Syrian Coalition)