Russia to raise US coalition airstrike at UN
Russia's UN Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia says he will raise the US-led coalition's deadly airstrike on Syrian government-backed troops during closed consultations later Thursday in the UN Security Council.
Nebenzia told reporters at UN headquarters in New York he was not expecting a statement from the council, which would require consensus among the 15 members including the United States.
"Let's be realistic," he said. "I'm not sure we'll be able to reach it on that" attack.
The US-led coalition said its action in eastern Syria was in "self-defense," citing a major attack on its allied forces and U.S. advisers in Deir el-Zour province by 500 fighters. A US military official earlier said about 100 of the attackers were killed in the overnight strike.
Nebenzia said it was also "regrettable" that the Security Council wouldn't support a statement that Russia sought Wednesday following an attack in Damascus that damaged its trade mission.
