Russian Defense Ministry: Jabhat al-Nusra-linked group involvemed in shelling Aleppo aid convoy

 Russian Defense Ministry said it received information on the involvement of a faction of the “moderate opposition” that is linked to Jabhat al-Nusra terrorist organization in bombarding the humanitarian aid convoy near Orum al-Kubra in the countryside of Aleppo province.

Viktor Poznikhir, the first deputy chief of the Main Operational Directorate of the Russian General Staff, as saying in a conference held by the Russian Defense Ministry on Wednesday that both the Russian Defense and Foreign Ministries had received an order by the Russian President Vladimir Putin to continue joint work with the American partners on the crisis in Syria following a phone call between Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and his U.S. counterpart John Kerry earlier on the day.

Poznikhir added that Moscow plans to send a delegation of Russian experts to Geneva as soon as possible to resume consultations with the U.S. side with the aim of finding possible means to normalize the situation in Syria generally and in Aleppo in particular, expressing hope that the U.S. partners would be ready for joint work.

On a related note, Poznikhir pointed out that “It became known that terrorist groups are preparing provocative attacks with chemical weapons on Syrian army positions and residential areas in the east part of Aleppo to accuse government forces [of the attacks].”

He added that the situation in the northern areas of Syria where the Turkish forces continue violating the international law principles in cooperation with the so-called “Free Army” by launching assaults on the Syrian territories.

“In the provinces of Aleppo and Hama, opposition groups, taking advantage of the seven-day truce, replenished the stocks of ammunition and weapons, to regroup and started offensive operations in order to capture new territories,” he said.

German Focus Magazine made an interview with a Jabhat al-Nusra leader on 19th of September before targeting the humanitarian aid convoy, saying the terrorist organization would not allow the convoy to access Aleppo, threatening of detaining the truck drivers if the convoy entered the city without the permission of the organization.