Syria urges UN to dissolve US-led coalition

The Syrian Foreign Ministry on Sunday renewed calls on the UN to dissolve the US-led anti-terror coalition over crimes against civilians in Syria, according to the state news agency SANA.

"The US systematic massacres against Syrian civilians constitutes a flagrant violation of the International law," the ministry said, urging for "the immediate dismantling of the coalition that has been formed without the request of the Syrian government and outside the framework of the UN."

The ministry referred to several incidents where civilian casualties were caused by the airstrikes of the US-led coalition, saying the US has used white phosphorus in its attacks on civilians in the northern city of Raqqa, Xinhua reported.

It also said the attacks destroyed houses and hospitals in Raqqa, the de facto capital of the Islamic State (IS) group.

The ministry noted that the coalition's "crimes" were repeated in the provinces of Hasakah, Aleppo and Deir al-Zour.

The condemnation comes a day after US-led airstrikes killed 43 civilians in the several areas in Raqqa.

Over the past two months, the US coalition has upped its attacks on Raqqa, coupled with the ground offensive of the U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces, which captured half of Raqqa from IS.

--IANS

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