At a tense United Nations Security Council session on Tuesday, the United States and Russia accused each other of supporting terrorism amid escalating conflict in Syria.
The session followed last week’s capture of Aleppo by Syrian rebels, led by Hayat Tahrir Al-Sham (HTS). Once the official Syrian branch of Al-Qaeda, HTS severed ties in 2016 and is designated a terrorist organization by the UN and the US.
Deputy US Ambassador Robert Wood urged a de-escalation of violence in Syria and highlighted the need to protect civilians. He criticized the involvement of HTS in the rebel offensive but also condemned Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad and his Russian allies for attacks on civilian infrastructure like schools and hospitals.
Russian UN Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia responded sharply, accusing the US of failing to condemn the HTS-led assault on peaceful Syrian cities. “You lack the courage to denounce blatant terrorism,” Nebenzia said, adding that Russia was relieved to be “on the opposite side of the barricades” from Washington.
Wood fired back, asserting that Nebenzia had no standing to criticize the US, which has long combated terrorism. He accused Moscow of supporting regimes that harbor terrorists and reaffirmed America’s commitment to fighting global terrorism.
The exchange underscored deepening tensions between the two powers as the Syrian conflict continues to fuel global divisions.
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