The Syrian American Council condemns yesterday's deadly attack on civilians by the Syrian-Russian alliance that left 100 civilians dead and injured in the Atarib suburb of Aleppo. Two days ago, the State Department released a media note claiming that President Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin “agreed there is no military solution to the conflict in Syria” during a meeting. Putin clearly only believes in a military solution for Syria and is implementing it on the ground everyday. Yesterday's massacre, which was the worst in the province since the Aleppo City Massacre of 2016, is proof that Putin is not a reliable or constructive partner in Syria. Putin has made clear that his government's aim is to keep Assad in power at the expense of Syria's civilians. Putin continues to protect, embolden, enable and support Assad's mass atrocities and crimes against humanity on the battlefield and at the UN Security Council. As such, the Syrian American Council calls on the Trump Administration to work with members of the Friends of Syria group of countries to protect civilians in Syria, end all sieges, release detainees, increase efforts to support a political transition away from Assad, and refer the Syria file to the ICC. 

The Coalition for a Democratic Syria (CDS) decries the consideration of Mohammad Javad Zarif, Foreign Minister of the Islamic Republic of Iran, for the 2017 Nobel Peace Prize for his involvement in the international nuclear negotiations.

The Norwegian Nobel Committee has listed Foreign Minister Zarif and Federica Mogherini on its shortlist of nominees for this year’s Peace Prize for their involvement in negotiating the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, which was intended to limit Iran’s ability to produce a nuclear weapon.

The Syrian American Council condemns airstrikes by Russian and Assad forces on at least 4 different medical facilities in northern Syria on Tuesday, in flagrant violation of a “de-escalation zone.” The airstrikes included targeted attacks on a surgical hospital and civil defense center in Kafranbel town, the Rahma Hospital in Khan Sheikhoun town, and a maternity hospital in Tah town, with deaths reported among the maternity patients. All attacks were in flagrant violation of a Russian-declared “de-escalation zone” in Idlib and northern Hama meant to reduce civilian casualties.