All news

Brussels says Belgium’s position on Hassadjek village bombing remains unchanged

Earlier on Friday, Russian Foreign Ministerry presented Belgian Ambassador to Russia with proof that the Royal Belgian Air Force was linked to the Hassadjek village air strike

BRUSSELS, October 21 /TASS/. Belgium adheres to its previous stance on the Hassadjek village bombing in Syria, Belgian Foreign Minister Didier Reynders said on Friday in response to the Russian Foreign Ministry’s call to carry out a transparent and objective investigation into the case.

"The Belgian position remains unchanged," he said.

Earlier on Friday, Russia’s First Deputy Foreign Minister Vladimir Titov presented Belgian Ambassador to Russia Alex Van Meuwen with proof that the Royal Belgian Air Force was linked to the Hassadjek village air strike on the Aleppo outskirts delivered on October 18, the Russian Foreign Ministry said.

"Belgian Ambassador to Moscow Alex Van Meuwen was summoned to the Russian Foreign Ministry on October 21. Russia’s First Deputy Foreign Minister Vladimir Titov said he was perplexed by the stubborn ongoing negation by the Belgian side of the fact that the Royal Belgian Air Force planes had delivered an air strike on the Aleppo outskirt causing civilian casualties," the Russian Foreign Ministry said.

"The Belgian diplomat was presented with proof that the Royal Belgian Air Force had taken part in the air strikes at the Hassadjek village. It was said that the Russian Defense Ministry had turned over the material on the technical aspects of two F-16 flights to the Belgian military attache in Moscow," the Russian Foreign Ministry stressed.

On October 18, the Russian Center for Reconciliation of Opposing Sides in Syria said that the Hassadjek village air strike on the Aleppo outskirt had killed six and injured another four people.

The Russian Center for Reconciliation of the Opposing Sides in Syria reported the air raid on Hassadjek on October 18. The Russian military claim there were no Russian or Syrian planes in the area, but Belgian fighter jets were spotted near Hassadjek.

"The international coalition’s planes were fulfilling their combat tasks in the Hassadjek village on the night of October 18. Two F-16 jets of the Royal Belgian Air Force were spotted in the area within specified time," the Russian Defense Ministry said.

Six Belgian F-16 jets are taking part in the international coalition’s operations in Syria. Belgium has been denying its links to the Hassadjek bombing.