Opposition MPs in Kuwait urged Gulf Cooperation Council nations on Tuesday to expel Russian ambassadors over what they called Moscow’s role in “genocide” against civilians in the Syrian city of Aleppo while Britain repeated its call that President Bashar Assad should step aside.
Citing tyrant Assad’s “barbaric cruelty” toward Syria’s people, as his forces stood poised to recapture Aleppo, Prime Minister Theresa May’s official spokeswoman said: “We do not think that President Assad, who is presiding over such barbaric cruelty to the people of Syria, is a route to a long-term, secure and prosperous future for Syria.”
“That’s why we think there needs to be a political transition away from Assad,” she told reporters.
The UN said Tuesday it had credible reports of pro-government forces in Aleppo executing dozens of civilians including women and children as the crucial battle for the city neared its end. May’s spokeswoman said the reports coming out of the city were “extremely concerning.”
“Our first priority has absolutely got to be to get aid to those whose lives are in danger,” she said.
Britain will press fellow European Union leaders at a summit on Thursday to secure a “strong, clear statement” on the situation in Aleppo, “the need for humanitarian access and for a cease-fire,” she said.
Expel Russian envoys
Opposition lawmakers in Kuwait signed a motion calling on the newly elected Parliament to hold an emergency meeting next week in support of the city. “There is a genocide being committed against civilians in Aleppo amid total international negligence,” MP Jamaan Al-Harbash told a small rally in the Parliament building.
“We call on the Gulf states to expel Russian ambassadors... and to open fund-raising campaigns at mosques,” he said. The GCC groups energy-rich Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates, all of which have diplomatic ties with Russia, a key ally of Assad.
Abdullah Fahhad, another MP, demanded the expulsion of the envoys of both Russia and Iran, another Assad ally.
MP Waleed Al-Tabtabai said that a protest will be staged on Wednesday outside the Russian Embassy in Kuwait City over its military backing for Assad.
Turkey ‘horrified’
Turkey on Tuesday said it was “horrified and outraged” by what it said was the massacre of civilians by the Syrian regime and its supporters in eastern Aleppo and that their actions were in serious breach of international humanitarian law.
Opposition defenses in Aleppo collapsed on Monday, leading to a broad advance by the tyrant Assad forces across more than half of the remaining insurgent pocket in the city and a retreat of opposition fighters to a few districts.
EU-Russia ties
Italy’s new prime minister sees EU relations with Russia being “defined” by unfolding events in Syria and a Donald Trump-led United States as his top ally on the global stage.
Paolo Gentiloni, the successor to Matteo Renzi, told Parliament on Tuesday that this week’s summit of EU leaders in Brussels would focus on Syria.

Source: Arab News