Fallon warns Russians aid convoy airstrike could be a war crime

Russian commanders should be probed for war crimes if they deliberately attacked a UN aid convoy in Syria, the Defence Secretary has said.

Twenty people died after an airstrike destroyed an aid convoy in rebel-held Urm al Kubra, near Aleppo, on Monday night.

No-one has claimed responsibility but the US believes two Russian Su-24 jets carried out the attack.

Moscow has denied it was behind the raid and released drone footage of what it claimed was the convoy being accompanied by an armed truck .

Asked if he thinks Russian commanders should be investigated over the attack, Sir Michael told Sky News: "Yes, it's clearly Russian commanders.

"If they made a mistake Russia should apologise.

"If this was a deliberate attack on the UN convoy then it's Russian commanders who should be in the dock rather than British troops."

US Colonel John Thomas said the convoy deaths were not the result of coalition military action, which led him to conclude that responsibility lay with Russia or Syria's military.

He said: "The only other entities that fly in Syria are Russia and Syria."

Witness Mohammed Rasoul said the fleet was "erased from the face of the earth" when it was struck in Urm al Kubra.

The UN restarted its aid operations in Syria on Thursday , after concluding a security review launched in the wake of the attack.

The airstrike happened hours after a US-led strike killed 60 Syrian soldiers at the weekend.

The US apologised for the bombing, which occurred on a base near Deir al Zor airport, insisting that its intended target was Islamic State fighters.

Britain admitted playing a role in that strike but the Ministry of Defence insisted it would never "intentionally" strike Syrian forces .