Russia and the United States have formally requested an emergency closed-door meeting of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) to discuss the escalating violence against civilians in western Syria, according to Dmitry Polyanskiy, Russia’s First Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN.
"Russia and the US have requested urgent closed consultations at the UN Security Council due to the violence against civilians in western Syria. We expect the Danish presidency of the Council to schedule the meeting for 10:00 AM New York time (5:00 PM Moscow time) on March 10," Polyanskiy stated on his Telegram channel.
The request comes amid intensifying clashes in the Latakia, Tartus, and Homs provinces, where Syrian security forces aligned with the new government are fighting supporters of former president Bashar al-Assad. The heaviest fighting has taken place in Jableh, a city with a large Alawite population, the same religious minority as Assad’s family.
According to recent reports, the ongoing conflict in western Syria has resulted in the deaths of 250 pro-Assad fighters and 231 members of the new government’s security forces. Civilian casualties have exceeded 800, with the majority belonging to the Alawite community.
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Based on TASS materials