Around 200 to 300 US troops are stationed at the Al-Tanf garrison, near Rukben refugee camp (Image: GETTY)
The affected Rukban refugee camp is situated in the Al-Tanf security zone, where the US has troops. According to a UN agency “one child has died every five days” in the camp. Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov accused the US of holding refugees ‘hostage’ in the camp, to justify the US military presence in Syria.
However a commander from the American backed Maghawir al-Thawra claimed Russian and Syrian regime forces have been blocking humanitarian relief from the camp.
Speaking at a press conference on Wednesday Mr Lavrov claimed the US “do not release people and hold them hostage” in the camp, in order to “justify their illegal military presence there”.
Earlier the Russian and Syrian governments released a joint statement condemning US policy.
They commented: “The American side, which is solely responsible for the current humanitarian catastrophe in the Rukban camp, does not stop trying to shift responsibility for what is happening to the Syrian and Russian sides.
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