Syria’s Assad says US strikes “flagrant aggression”

The United States, Russia and other key players in the Syria peace process will meet Tuesday in NY after Syria’s army announced the end of a week-long truce, a U.S. spokesman said. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said 29 children and teenagers were among those killed, as well as 17 women. Bashar Jaafari also accused the U.S. of providing help to the Islamic State group.

The US-led raid on Saturday evening hit a Syrian army post near the eastern city of Deir Ezzor, where army forces have been fighting off ISIL terrorists since past year. The Pentagon admitted it may have hit Syrian troops but alleged it had been tracking an ISIL position there. The station said the airstrikes targeted IS positions in areas such as the Tharda Mountain, which overlooks the airport of the city of Deir el-Zour.

Damascus’ major ally Moscow insists that Syrian forces have fully respected the truce – which is meant to end hostilities and ensure aid deliveries – but that rebels have kept up bombardments.

Assad described the attack that killed dozens of Syrian soldiers in the eastern province of Deir el-Zour as a “blatant American aggression”. Australian and Danish warplanes were involved in that attack on Syrian army positions.

The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights gave a different death toll, saying 90 troops were killed in the strikes.

Rudskoy said the United States and rebel groups it backs “have not fulfilled one of the obligations taken upon themselves as part of the Geneva agreements”, referring to a truce deal struck earlier this month in the Swiss city.

Russian Federation placed blame for the ceasefire’s failure at the feet of President Barack Obama, suggesting on Sunday that the accidental bombing of a Syrian military position by American fighter jets would lead to the dissolution of the agreement.

George Sabra, of the opposition High Negotiations Committee, told The Associated Press that the truce has been repeatedly violated and did not succeed in its main objective – opening roads for aid to enter besieged rebel-held areas.

The last day of the seven-day ceasefire was marked by a surge of violence, which included warplanes hitting the strategic northern city of Aleppo for the first time since the truce went into effect. Opposition forces have reported 254 violations by government forces since the ceasefire began.

Syrian state media pushed a similar logic on Monday.

The Syrian army said in a statement last week that the truce will last until midnight Sunday.