Russia says too early to accuse Syrian government over gas attack – RIA

USA warplanes frequently attack Islamic State militants in Syria and come close to Russian forces.

“In the opinion of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the decision by U.S. President Donald Trump has sent a strong and clear signal that further proliferation and use of chemical weapons, including against defenseless civilians in Syria, will not be tolerated”, it said.

Russian President Vladimir Putin and Iran’s Hassan Rouhani said in a phone call that aggressive US actions against Syria were not permissible and violated worldwide law, the Kremlin said on Sunday.

“Tonight, I ordered a targeted military strike on the airfield in Syria from where the chemical attack was launched”. Tillerson said he would bring up the issue when he meets with his Russian counterpart this week for what is sure to be a less-than-comfortable sit-down.

“U.S. aggression against Shayrat (air base) strengthens regional extremism and terror, and global lawlessness and instability, and must be condemned”, Rouhani said.

The planes responsible for the air strike were not immediately identified, but the attack came four days after the suspected chemical weapons attack was blamed on Syrian government forces. As this instability continues, Assad will steadily eliminate the opposition, and the West will see the reestablishment of an anti-U.S. and Israel crescent stretching from Tehran to Israel’s border.

“It is in our vital national security interest to prevent the spread and use of chemical weapons”.

Russian Federation joined the war on Assad’s behalf in 2015, turning the momentum of the conflict in his favour.

In that perspective, this missile attack gives a clear symbolic signal to Assad – and to the Russians, Chinese and North Koreans too – of Trump’s willingness to use U.S. military might.

“I don’t draw conclusions of complicity at all, but clearly they’ve been incompetent and perhaps they’ve just simply been out-maneuvered by the Syrians”, Tillerson said of Russian Federation.

The strikes on Friday [NZT] – some 60 cruise missiles fired from two ships in the Mediterranean – were the culmination of a rapid, three-day transformation for Trump, who has long opposed deeper USA involvement in Syria’s civil war. Tuesday’s chemical attack left scores dead, including children and women, according activists.

“We’re prepared to do more”.

Syria and its close ally Russian Federation say that Islamic State and al-Qaida-linked militants in Syria have acquired chemical weapons. The drone returned late in the day as citizens were going to a nearby hospital for treatment.

“This was a calibrated, proportionate and targeted response”, his official statement said. We know there’s no easy solution to the crisis that’s in Syria.

“Although the missile attack was warranted, I have serious concerns about the Trump Administration’s irresponsible statements earlier in the week, which may have emboldened Assad, and an overall erratic policy that indicates there is no longer-term strategy in place here”.

“We deplore Russia’s continued defence of the Assad regime even after the chemical weapons attack on innocent civilians”, he said.

There was also the question of global law.

The U.S. action catapulted Washington into confrontation with Russian Federation, which has military advisers on the ground aiding its close ally Assad. No personnel at the base uses gas masks, he said. France, Italy and Israel also welcomed the strikes. The Islamic Republic, an Assad ally, warned that unilateral us action would strengthen terrorists and “further complicate the situation” in the Middle East.

“Congress is being negligent in its constitutional obligation”, Larson said.