Arab League slams US raid on Syria
Cairo, 2008 Oct 27, Press TV
The Cairo-based Arab League (AL) has strongly denounced a US air strike inside Syria that killed nine Syrian civilians and wounded 14.
"Such a violation undermines the efforts to establish regional security and may lead to more tensions in the region," the Arab League said in a statement on Monday.
The statement also noted that the US raid spoils the credibility of peace efforts in Iraq and neighboring countries.
Confirming its solidarity with Damascus, the Arab organization voiced its support for Syria to protect its people and sovereignty. It also called for an investigation to "hold those responsible into account."
US commandoes in four helicopters on Sunday attacked the Syrian village of al-Sukkariya at about 5:45 pm (1445 GMT), some eight kilometers from the Iraqi border killing nine civilians and wounding 14 others.
Damascus officials have been aiming indignant remarks at Washington in succession after the reported incident with the Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Muallem saying, "We consider this a criminal and terrorist aggression”.
Meanwhile AP quoted from an unnamed US military official as claiming that the US raid targeted a network of al-Qaeda-linked foreign fighters moving through Syria into Iraq.
Iraq hopes Syria raid won't harm ties
Syrian villagers gather near the coffins of relatives who were killed in the US raid.
Iraq says it hopes relationships with Syria will not be damaged by a US military air strike on Syria that was carried out from Iraqi soil.
According to a statement released by the Iraqi foreign ministry on Monday, Baghdad is investigating the incident and will provide all information to Damascus.
"The issue underlined the importance of security cooperation between the two countries to avoid similar incidents in the future. Iraq hopes that brotherly relations will not be affected," the statement added.
The Syrian Foreign Minister Walid al-Moallem on Monday condemned the killing of eight civilians in the assault as an act of "criminal and terrorist aggression". He demanded a US investigation into the attack, which was launched from Iraq.
Moualem also warned of military retaliation if there were future cross-border raids, saying, "If they do it again, we will defend our territory.”
|
