UK Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson said on Saturday he had cancelled a visit to Moscow on the heels of US-launched missile strikes on Syria and what he called “Russia’s continued defence of the Assad regime”. “Developments in Syria have changed the situation fundamentally,” Johnson said in a statement. Johnson condemned Russia’s continued support for Syrian … Read more
Iran’s President Hassan Rouhani has said “terrorists are celebrating” US strikes on a Syrian airbase. His comments echo the response from Russia, which like Iran is allied to Syria, and from Syria itself. At least six people are reported to have been killed in the missile strikes in the early hours of Friday. The strikes … Read more
Britain’s Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson has cancelled a scheduled visit to Moscow next week, his office announced Saturday, saying “developments in Syria have changed the situation fundamentally”. “My priority is now to continue contact with the US and others in the run up to the G7 meeting on 10-11 April,” said Johnson, who was due … Read more
The United States on Friday threatened to take further military action in Syria following its missile strikes on an air base in the war-wracked country in retaliation for a suspected chemical attack. “The United States took a very measured step last night,” US Ambassador Nikki Haley told the UN Security Council. “We are prepared to … Read more
The US envoy to the UN has warned America may take further action after bombarding a Syrian air base suspected of using chemical weapons. Nikki Haley said her country would not stand by when chemical weapons were used, as it was in its “vital interest” to stop their proliferation. Syrian ally Russia accused the US … Read more
Friday’s strike on a Syrian airbase marks the first direct US attack on the Damascus regime, raising questions about the potential impact on American forces working to defeat the Islamic State group. An immediate sign of potential fallout from the strike came from Moscow, which said it would strengthen Syrian air defenses to protect the … Read more
Two warplanes took off from a central Syrian airbase Friday hours after it was struck by US missiles and carried out bombing raids nearby, a monitoring group said. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the aircraft “took off from inside the Shayrat base, which is partially back in service, and struck targets near Palmyra”. … Read more
While Western powers have blamed Syria’s regime for this week’s suspected chemical attack, questions remain over why it would make such a move following a string of victories and a diplomatic comeback. The alleged toxic gas strike in Syria’s northwest prompted the United States to launch 59 Tomahawk cruise missiles at the Shayrat airbase in … Read more
Donald Trump’s cruise missile strike on a Syrian air base drags Washington deeper into the country’s tragedy but does not yet represent a new strategy to oust Bashar al-Assad. The new US president has been an outspoken opponent of US military intervention in Middle East conflicts and until this week, his administration had insisted that … Read more
The UN Security Council has heard sharp exchanges over the US bombardment of a Syrian air base suspected of using chemical weapons. Secretary General Antonio Guterres urged restraint as Russia accused the US of encouraging “terrorists” in the region with its unilateral actions. Russia has promised to strengthen Syria’s anti-aircraft defences. US officials say the … Read more
The United States on Friday fired dozens of cruise missiles at a government-controlled airbase in Syria, in retaliation for a suspected chemical weapons attack on a rebel-held town that killed scores of civilians. The Pentagon said 59 Tomahawk cruise missiles were fired from two warships in the Mediterranean at the Shayrat airfield, targeting the base … Read more
The Russian government has condemned missile strikes by the US on a Syrian airbase, saying Washington’s action would “inflict major damage on US-Russia ties”, according to Russian news agencies. In its first public response to missile strikes by the US, the Kremlin on Friday issued a strong statement labelling the US move as “aggression against … Read more
From strong messages of support to fierce condemnation, here are the main global reactions to a US strike on a Syria air base in response to a suspected chemical attack. : Unsurprisingly, the main ally of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad was robust in its opposition to teh strike. The strikes were an “aggression against a … Read more
President Donald Trump on Thursday denounced Bashar al-Assad as responsible for an “egregious” crime, suggesting the United States could be poised to take action against the Syrian leader over this week’s apparent chemical attack. “What Assad did is terrible. What happened in Syria is truly one of the egregious crimes,” Trump said while travelling to … Read more
Syria’s civil war has been raging for more than six years The Pentagon is in detailed discussions with the White House about military options on Syria, according to a US official. This could include grounding Syrian aircraft and other types of strikes, the official cited by the Reuters news agency added. The development comes amid … Read more
In the lead-up to the US election, Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin exchanged warm and fuzzy-sounding phrases such as “highly respected” and “very talented” and, “I think we’ll get along very well”. But two-and-a-half months after Mr Trump’s inauguration, it seems their burgeoning relationship has hit the skids. Inevitably perhaps, it is the latest chapter … Read more
Western powers pushed ahead Thursday with efforts to take action over the suspected chemical attack in Syria after US President Donald Trump warned the “affront to humanity” would not go unanswered. France said it was determined to pursue a UN Security Council resolution to investigate dozens of civilian deaths in a northwestern Syria town, which … Read more
U. S. Ambassador Nikki Haley warned Wednesday that the Trump administration will take action against chemical attacks in Syria that bear “all the hallmarks” of President Bashar Assad’s government if the U.N. Security Council fails to act. Haley urged the council at an emergency meeting to immediately approve a resolution drafted by the U.S., Britain … Read more
Britain, France and the United States on Wednesday held off calling a vote at the UN Security Council on a resolution demanding an investigation of the suspected chemical attack in Syria to allow time for negotiations with Russia. However, a vote on the draft text presented by the Western trio could be held as early … Read more
The United States warned Wednesday that it could take unilateral action if the United Nations fails to respond to a suspected chemical attack in Syria that has left scores dead, including children. “When the United Nations consistently fails in its duty to act collectively, there are times in the life of states that we are … Read more