MOSCOW (Sputnik) — Earlier in the day, US Ambassador to the United Nations Samantha Power said that the activities of the Syrian army supported by Russia's Aerospace Forces were a "gift" to the terrorist groups such as Daesh and al-Nusra Front, now known as Jabhat Fateh al Sham.
"If we speak about the 'gifts to terrorists,' then of course it is a convergence of the Nusra Front and 'moderate opposition,' the deliveries of humanitarian aid to the militants and the bombing of the Syrian army fighting against IS [Daesh]. However, the best gift [for jihadists] would be Washington's refusal to cooperate with Russia on Syria's settlement," Zakharova wrote on her Facebook account.
Syria has been mired in civil war since 2011, with government forces loyal to President Bashar Assad fighting numerous opposition factions and extremist groups, including Daesh and al-Nusra Front, which are outlawed in many countries including Russia.
Russia as well as the Unites State have been making diplomatic efforts to bring about a settlement of the conflict, however different incidents, such as the recent airstrike delivered by the US-led coalition on the Syrian forces in Deir ez-Zor, have damaged the ability of the two countries to cooperate on the issue.
On Wednesday, US Secretary of State John Kerry told Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov that Washington was prepared to suspend US-Russian bilateral engagement on Syria, including the establishment of the Joint Implementation Center.
