British drones were jointly responsible for the air strike that brought the Syrian ceasefire to a violent end.
US and UK aircraft hit a Syrian government position near the eastern city of Deir el-Zour on Saturday, as well as aid trucks near Aleppo. It’s understood an unmanned RAF Reaper drone was involved.
Russia – the main backer of president Bashar al-Assad – said it had been told by the Syrian government that 62 of its troops had been killed.
As a result, the UN’s humanitarian aid agency has announced that all aid convoys in Syria have been suspended.
A damaged truck carrying aid is seen on the side of the road in the town of Orum al-Kubra on the western outskirts of the northern Syrian city of Aleppo on September 20, 2016, the morning after a convoy delivering aid was hit by a deadly air strike. The UN said at least 18 trucks in the 31-vehicle convoy were destroyed en route to deliver humanitarian assistance to the hard-to-reach town.
All aid convoys have now been suspended (Picture: AFP/Getty Images)
Undated MoD handout file photo of an RAF Reaper UAV drone, as British forces took part in a coalition air strike which the Syrian government claims left dozens of its troops dead at the weekend, the Ministry of Defence has confirmed. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Issue date: Monday September 19, 2016. It is understood that the UK participation in the strike involved an unmanned Reaper drone.
Photo credit should read: Cpl Steve Bain ABIPP/MoD Crown Copyright/PA Wire NOTE TO EDITORS: This handout photo may only be used in for editorial reporting purposes for the contemporaneous illustration of events, things or the people in the image or facts mentioned in the caption. Reuse of the picture may require further permission from the copyright holder.
It was an unmanned RAF Reaper drone (Picture: PA)
Speaking after an investigation revealed that RAF aircraft involved in the strike, Theresa May said Britain would ‘never intentionally strike or focus on Syrian forces’.
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‘The UK was part of the coalition air strike that took place,’ she told broadcasters at the UN’s HQ in New York. ‘We are now part of the investigation and it’s right that this is properly investigated.
‘But, from the UK’s point of view we are there to deal with Daesh, to deal with the terrorist threat that is Daesh.
‘We would never intentionally strike or focus on Syrian forces. But there is an investigation taking place and we will be contributing to that investigation fully.’
NEW YORK, NY — SEPTEMBER 19: British Prime Minister Theresa May addresses delegates as she delivers a keynote speech on the refugee crisis at the United Nations General assembly on September 19, 2016 in New York City. World leaders have arrived in New York for the 71st session of the UN General Assembly. The annual gathering is an opportunity for a number of high-level meetings, sideline bilaterals and think tank addresses concerning global issue (Photo by Christopher Furlong/Getty Images)
Theresa May said she would cooperate with the investigation (Picture: Getty Images)
Chief of the Main Operational Directorate of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces Lieutenant-General Sergei Rudskoi attends a news briefing in Moscow, Russia, September 19, 2016. REUTERS/Sergei Karpukhin
Lieutenant-General Sergei Rudskoi had accused US-backed rebel forces of violating the ceasefire 199 times (Picture: Reuters)
According to the Syrian military, the strikes hit a base that was surrounded by Isis – allowing the militants to overrun their positions.
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The incident led to furious exchanges at the UN between Russia and the US, with both countries’ ambassadors storming out of the emergency session of the Security Council.
Vitali Churkin, the Russian ambassador who had called the meeting, said it was suspicious that the incident had happened just two days before US and Russian forces were due to begin co-ordinated strikes against Isis.
He added that it left a ‘very big question mark’ over the peace deal between the two countries.