Russia 'co-ordinating' with US on Syria violence

UN ambassador Vasily Nebenzya reveals Moscow-Washington collaboration ahead of Security Council meeting on the escalating situation

Syrian security forces patrol a street in Latakia after violence in which hundreds of civilians were killed. EPA

Russia is co-ordinating with Washington on efforts to end the violence in Syria, Moscow's envoy to the UN said on Monday.

Vasily Nebenzya told reporters ahead of a closed-door UN Security Council meeting that Russia had contacted the US to collaborate on the issue.

“Things are happening in Syria,” he said, highlighting the violence in Latakia that has led to the deaths of hundreds of civilians and forced others to flee their homes. “We need to raise the issue.”

Russia - a staunch ally of former Syrian president Bashar Al Assad, who was ousted in December and took asylum in Moscow - has significant military interests in Syria. The Russian military maintains a naval base at Tartous and an airbase outside Latakia in Hmeimim, both critical for Moscow's regional and expeditionary operations, including in Africa.

After Mr Al Assad's departure, securing those bases has become a central objective of Russia's strategy in Syria. The Russian Foreign Ministry in January suggested transforming the military sites into “humanitarian hubs” to support the Syrian population amid continuing pockets of conflict.

Following the closed session on the situation in Syria, Mr Nebenzya briefed reporters on the Security Council's discussions, emphasising a broad consensus among Council members.

"While not everyone spoke with the same voice, there was unanimity," he said.

Mr Nebenzya highlighted the council's strong stance against recent events, noting, "Everybody stressed the same elements, the inadmissibility of what happened. There is a need to bring the perpetrators to justice and to ensure real inclusivity and unity within the country."

Fighting erupted on Thursday near the coast following an ambush by Alawite gunmen that killed 16 government forces in Latakia province. In retaliation, the government deployed reinforcements and imposed curfews in Latakia and the adjacent province of Tartus.

More than 1,000 people have been killed in Syria, many of them believed to be civilians, over the past three days amid intense clashes between forces aligned with Syria's new government and those loyal to ousted dictator Bashar Al Assad.

The attacks are regarded as the deadliest in Syria since insurgents overthrew the Assad regime in December and represents the most significant challenge to the country's new government since it assumed power.

Ties between Moscow and Washington have thawed since US President Donald Trump took office. Mr Trump has stated his intention to swiftly end the Russia-Ukraine war, and has spoken positively about Russian President Vladimir Putin while denigrating Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.