Jumblat Condemns Attack at Druze-Majority Syria Province, Lashes Out at Russia
Progressive Socialist Party leader Walid Jumblat lashed out at Russia condemning a deadly Islamic State attack in the Druze-majority province of Sweida in Syria that killed more than 250 people.
“We don't want the Druze to be sacrificed, nor do we accept that they pass on our dead bodies in Lebanon or in Syria, we are not Chechnya. This is my letter to my Russian friends,” said Druze leader Jumblat in remarks on Friday.
The death toll in coordinated Islamic State group attacks in Syria's Sweida passed 250 on Thursday, the heaviest loss of life of the seven-year civil war.
The PSP leader’s remarks came in the wake of a Russian initiative to return the Syrian refugees from Lebanon and Jordan back to Syria.
A senior Russian delegation, led by special presidential envoy Alexander Lavrentiev, met at the Baabda Palace on Thursday with President Michel Aoun, Speaker Nabih Berri and Premier-designate Saad Hariri to discuss the plan.
“A Russian messenger came to Lebanon yesterday. We want our relationship with Russia to ensure that the people of the mountain remain in the mountain and that Bashar Assad does not use them as fuel for his personal ends,” added Jumblat.
Russia, Syria’s ally has put forward plans to the United States to cooperate for the safe return of refugees to Syria.
Moscow has proposed the establishment of working groups in Lebanon and Jordan, to where many refugees have fled, a Russian defense ministry official said last week.
Source: Naharnet
| Copyright © 2012 Naharnet.com. All Rights Reserved. | https://mobile.naharnet.com/stories/en/248967 |