Russia strongly condemns Palmyra massacre, calls for unifying efforts to combat terrorism

Moscow, SANA – Russian Foreign Ministry vehemently condemned the terrorist barbaric and brutal atrocities committed by Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) terrorists against civilians in the ancient city of Palmyra, re-affirming that the efforts of the so-called “anti-terrorist coalition” does not stop ISIS crimes.

“We strongly condemn the atrocities committed by armed extremists in Palmyra,” Russia Today TV quoted the Russian Foreign Ministry as saying in a statement.

“Despite efforts taken by the so-called anti-terrorist coalition led by the United States, ISIS stops at nothing to reach its goal.”

The statement warned of the dangers facing Syria and Iraq due to the attacks launched by ISIS terrorists, saying “Once again, we urge international and regional parties to abandon the vicious practice of using double standard approaches to fighting against terrorism, and launch efficient cooperation with the governments of Middle East countries, which are directly repelling the ISIS offensive.”

It called for unifying the international efforts to combat terrorism clarifying, “radicals can be stopped, as Russia consistently proposes, only when the international community unites its efforts on a generally recognized basis of international law and strict implementation of UN Security Council resolutions,” the ministry said.

Hundreds of residents of Palmyra city have been killed at the hands ISIS, which started an assault against city days ago, slaughtering and mutilating at least 400 civilians, including children, women and elderly people.

On Monday, the Foreign and Expatriates Ministry said in two identical letters sent to the head of the Security Council and the UN Secretary-General that such terrorist acts wouldn’t have happened without the persistence of certain states in providing all sorts of support for over four years to Takfiri terrorist organizations including ISIS, Jabhet al-Nusra.

Rasha Milhem/ Barry

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