UN opens Syria convoy attack investigation

The United Nations will investigate an attack on a UN aid convoy in Syria last month.

A satellite image of the damage in Aleppo, courtesy of DigitalGlobe.

A satellite image of the damage in Aleppo, courtesy of DigitalGlobe. Source: Amnesty International

The United Nations has announced an investigation into an attack on a UN aid convoy in Syria last month which killed an aid worker and 20 civilians.

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon "has established an internal and independent United Nations Headquarters Board of Inquiry into the incident that involved a United Nations-Syrian Arab Red Crescent relief operation to Urum al-Kubra (Big Orem), Syria, on 19 September," the UN said in a statement.

The investigation, which is to begin on Monday, will be led by retired Indian Lieutenant General Abhijit Guha. The panel is to "ascertain the facts of the incident".

Ban will review the report and decide what further steps to take.

The UN has said the incident in northern Aleppo province could constitute a war crime.

The United States charged that either a Russian or a Syrian airstrike hit the aid convoy and placed most of the blame on Moscow, the main backer of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

Both Moscow and Damascus denied they were behind the strike. A Russian Defence Ministry spokesman claimed that the convoy that was attacked had been followed by a "terrorist's" pickup truck carrying a large mortar.

The UN, Red Cross and Syrian Red Crescent - which jointly organised the aid convoy in co-ordination with the Syrian government - confirmed there had been an attack.

The 18 trucks that were hit were part of a 31-vehicle convoy that was unloading food and medical supplies for tens of thousands of people at a warehouse of the Syrian Red Crescent (SARC).


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Source: AAP


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