Russia and the United States clashed at the United Nations on Tuesday, accusing each other of supporting terrorism during a Security Council meeting convened over a sudden escalation of fighting in Syria.
Syrian rebels captured Aleppo last week in an attack initiated by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham. Formerly known as the Nusra Front, it was al Qaeda's official wing in Syria until breaking ties in 2016. It is sanctioned by the U.N. Security Council.
Deputy U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Robert Wood called for a de-escalation of the fighting in Syria and the protection of civilians. He also expressed concern that the rebel offensive was led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham.
"The fact that HTS is listed as a terrorist organization by the U.S. and U.N. does not justify the further atrocities by the Assad regime and its Russian backers," said Wood, accusing Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's forces and Russia of causing civilian casualties in attacks on schools and hospitals.
In remarks directed at Wood, Russia's U.N. Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia said: "You were unable to summon the courage to condemn a clear terrorist attack undertaken against peaceful civilians in peaceful Syrian cities."
"There are no illusions that Washington will ever be willing to sincerely combat international terrorism," he said. "To be frank we are pleased that we are on opposite sides of the barricades right now from you."
Wood responded by accusing Nebenzia of being in "no position to lecture us on this issue" because Moscow "props up regimes that sponsor terrorism around the world."
"The United States has for decades fought the scourge of terrorism and will continue to fight that scourge of terrorism," he said.
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Here's your AnewZ Daily Brief for 30 September 2026. These are the top five stories making headlines in Europe....
The European Union's decision to simultaneously advance accession talks with Ukraine, Moldova, Montenegro and Albania marks its most ambitious enlargement effort in more than two decades.
U.S. President Donald Trump has denied reports that he offered Iran sanctions relief and access to frozen funds in exchange for nuclear concessions.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has accused the U.S. and Israel of seeking to foment internal divisions in Iran after failing to defeat the country militarily, Iran's state news agency IRNA reported.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Monday that more than 8,000 North Korean troops are currently in Russia, with preparations under way to send another 10,000.
Russian strikes hit Kyiv and Ukraine’s Black Sea region of Odesa overnight into Tuesday, damaging infrastructure and civilian sites, while Moscow said it had also targeted vessels carrying military cargo.
The Spanish government has unveiled plans to extend protections against evictions until the end of 2030 as it seeks to address growing concerns over housing affordability and tenant security.
Here's your AnewZ Daily Brief for 30 September 2026. These are the top five stories making headlines in Europe.
The U.S. Senate has blocked a resolution that would have required President Donald Trump’s administration to report to Congress on alleged human rights violations and rising violence in the West Bank.
Three people were killed, including a child and seven others were injured in Russian air strikes on Kyiv and the surrounding region early on Wednesday, Ukrainian officials have said.
U.S. President Donald Trump and leading technology executives have agreed to develop voluntary safety standards for artificial intelligence, while the administration continues to support the rapid expansion of data centres across the country.
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