The authoritative investigative group of experts states that Russia is directly involved in the airstrike in Aleppo, when a little boy was wounded but survived by miracle. His image instantly became the symbol of pain, despair and horror that goes on in the war-torn Syria. "
That attack killed at least six people and wounded many more; one of them was the boy, 5-year-old Omran Daqneesh.
After Syrian rebels who are in control of the Quaterji quarter in Aleppo accused Russia in landing the deadly airstrike, the Russian Defense Ministry officially denied any involvement in the attack.
The Russian military said they never attacked residential quarters, all the more the ones located near the humanitarian corridors (according to their data, there were two such corridors in Quaterji). Besides, they assumed that the damage was caused ‘by a mine or a gas cylinder that are being used by ISIS militants – not the aviation bomb’. "
Bellingcat experts denounced Russia’s statements. First, they indicated there were no humanitarian corridors in Quaterji – that’s clearly visible thanks to the leaflets dropped from Russian military aircraft over Aleppo. Besides, the experts examined information from the open sources and found the same place where Omran Daqneesh was rescued, as well as location of houses that were destroyed in the attack. Judging by photos taken by the locals and the satellite images, two houses were completely destroyed by the airstrikes, while Russia denied the fact they were ruined in the attack.
‘Just like in previous cases, when Russian Defense Ministry denied involvement in attacks in Syria (the air strike on a mosque and a hospital, and the use of cluster ammunition), such statements may be considered as deliberate attempt to deceive the international community’, says the paper released by Bellingcat group.
Souce: UNIAN