Sabbagh: Western countries must be held accountable for their crimes in Syria

New York (ST): Syria’s permanent representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Bassam Sabbagh, affirmed that what Syria has been subjected to during the past 11 years as a result of the destructive and criminal policies of some Western countries requires those countries to be held accountable for their crimes, stressing that if the Security Council is serious about stopping and preventing war crimes and crimes against humanity, it should immediately begin  investigating the crimes of the so-called “international coalition” in Raqqa and Al-Baghouz.

During yesterday’s Security Council session on the situation in Syria, Sabbagh referred to the letter sent by the Foreign  and Expatriates Minister, Dr. Faisal Miqdad, on the 18th of this month to the Secretary-General of the United Nations and the President of the Security Council on war crimes and crimes against humanity committed by the so-called “international coalition”,  led by the United States in the city of Raqqa and the Baghouz area in the countryside of Deir  Ezzour, which led to the death of thousands of innocent people, including women and children, and the destruction of the infrastructure, public and private property, health and educational centers, and a number of places of worship.

 Sabbagh stressed that Syria holds the US administration and its allies implicated in these attacks fully responsible for the crimes.

Sabbagh said: On the 17th of this month, Syria commemorated the 76th anniversary of the evacuation of the last French soldier from its lands, which came as a result of the great sacrifices made by the Syrian people, and today the Syrians confirm their determination to continue their struggle to liberate all their occupied lands. On the illegal presence of US and Turkish forces in northeastern and northwestern Syria, and on the Israeli occupation of the Syrian Golan, he said that Syria, as it commemorates its national day, is more committed to its sovereignty, independence and unity, land and people, more determined to restore security and stability and extend state authority over its entire territory, and is more keen on providing a decent life for its people.

Sabbagh affirmed that ending the illegal foreign presence on the Syrian territory ends the occupying countries’ sponsorship of separatist militias and terrorist groups and helps eliminate ISIS and Al-Nusra Front terrorist outposts and their associated entities and groups. It also puts an end to the current dire conditions in the two camps al-Hol and Rukban and allows the return of foreign terrorists and their families to their countries. It also ends all forms of displacement, demographic change and looting of Syrian national wealth, and restores to the Syrians their national economic resources, which leads to strengthening security and stability in Syria and the region, improving the humanitarian and living situation, and providing favorable conditions for the return of displaced persons and refugees.

K.Q.