A group in Syria has reportedly demanded the release of prisoners held in Syrian and Lebanese jails in exchange for the bodies of five people who were shot down in a Russian military helicopter last week.
The Russian helicopter was downed in Syria's rebel-held Idlib province on Sunday, killing all five people on board in the biggest officially acknowledged loss of life for Russian forces since they started operations in Syria.
A Reuters news agency report said the demand was made on Thursday in a statement signed off by a group calling itself the General Foundation for Prisoners' Affairs.
The group said it wanted the release of prisoners held in Syrian government jails and by Hezbollah in Lebanon, but did not specify who those prisoners were or how many it wanted freed.
It also demanded an end to the siege of areas blockaded by the Syrian army and its allies, and for the delivery of significant amounts of humanitarian aid to people living in besieged areas.
The group's statement showed what appeared to be identity cards belonging to those killed in the crash.
Franz Klintsevich, deputy chairman of the Russian Federation Council committee on defence and security, said Moscow was working on returning the bodies of the Russians.
Klintsevich told Interfax that the military can hold negotiations or "use operative capabilities".
"They can decide and reach agreements. Give them time, they will resolve this issue. It may take a week or a month," he said...
[aljazeera.com]
5/8/16
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Related:
The Russian helicopter was downed in Syria's rebel-held Idlib province on Sunday, killing all five people on board in the biggest officially acknowledged loss of life for Russian forces since they started operations in Syria.
A Reuters news agency report said the demand was made on Thursday in a statement signed off by a group calling itself the General Foundation for Prisoners' Affairs.
The group said it wanted the release of prisoners held in Syrian government jails and by Hezbollah in Lebanon, but did not specify who those prisoners were or how many it wanted freed.
It also demanded an end to the siege of areas blockaded by the Syrian army and its allies, and for the delivery of significant amounts of humanitarian aid to people living in besieged areas.
The group's statement showed what appeared to be identity cards belonging to those killed in the crash.
Franz Klintsevich, deputy chairman of the Russian Federation Council committee on defence and security, said Moscow was working on returning the bodies of the Russians.
Klintsevich told Interfax that the military can hold negotiations or "use operative capabilities".
"They can decide and reach agreements. Give them time, they will resolve this issue. It may take a week or a month," he said...
[aljazeera.com]
5/8/16
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-
Related:
Russia’s Mi-8 was shot down over Jabhat al-Nusra-controlled area — General Staff
- A Syrian group said on Thursday it had the bodies of five people shot down in a Russian helicopter and demanded the release of prisoners in exchange for the corpses...
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