MOSCOW // Russia on Monday warned the United States that it will start responding to ceasefire violations in Syria unilaterally starting on Tuesday if Washington refuses to coordinate rules of engagement against the violators.
The Russian military has accused the US of dragging its feet on responding to Moscow's proposals on joint monitoring of a Syria ceasefire.
A top Russian general said on the weekend that further delays are leading to civilian casualties, like in Aleppo where 67 civilians reportedly have been killed by militant fire since the truce started.
Lt Gen Sergei Rudskoi of the Russian general staff said on Monday that Russia will have to use force unilaterally because the US, in talks with Russia last week, had refused to coordinate a joint response.
"The American side was not ready for this particular discussion and for the approval of the agreement," he said. There was no immediate reaction from US officials.
The Russian- and US-brokered ceasefire that began on February 27 has helped significantly reduce hostilities. The ISIL group and the Al Qaeda-linked Jabhat Al Nusra have been excluded from the truce.
Russian president Vladimir Putin last week recalled some of Russian warplanes from Syria, but said the action against ISIL and Jabhat Al Nusra will continue.
* Associated Press
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