US tells Russia to stop targeting Syrian opposition

MUNICH

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry on Saturday urged Russia to stop bombing moderate Syrian opposition forces and adhere to the agreement for cessation of hostilities in Syria.

“To date, the vast majority, in our opinion, of Russia’s attacks have been against legitimate opposition groups,” Kerry said in his address at the Munich Security Conference.

“To adhere to the agreement that has been made, we think that it is critical that Russia’s targeting change. And the entire International Syria Support Group, including Russia, has agreed to work to make that happen.”

Foreign ministers clinched a deal Thursday night agreeing on a “cessation of hostilities” in Syria within a week and the immediate provision of humanitarian aid to besieged areas.

Kerry said the practical details of the agreement would be finalized by a task group co-chaired by the U.S. and Russia and hoped aid would reach besieged towns and villages soon.

“Trucks are lined up,” he said. “And the permissions are being granted. And they should flow, today or tomorrow.”

Kerry and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov discussed implementing the task group's duties, including a halt to hostilities and the delivery of aid.

“Both ministers agreed on the need for that aid to begin flowing as rapidly as possible to those besieged communities identified by the UN as most in need,” the U.S. State Department said in a statement.

Kerry has sharply criticized President Bashar al-Assad’s regime for the heavy bombing conducted across Syria in recent weeks, which, he said, targeted civilians.

“Some have argued that the reason humanitarian access has been denied and there has been this bombing… [is] because Assad and his allies, including Russia, might believe that by defying the will of the international community they can win the war,” he said.

“If that is what Russia and Assad think, then I believe they would have been missing the lessons of the last five years. The Syrians who have rejected Assad have endured four years of shelling, barrel bombs, gas, Scud missiles, chemical attacks, torture, and they may be pushed back here and there but they are not going to surrender.”