https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2017/apr/07/us-syria-response-donald-trump-assad-pentagon-live
Second attack on Syrian town hit by chemical weapons reported after Trump strikes in Idlib – live LIVE Updated 9m ago American military strike hits airbase in Syria in retaliation for what US president called ‘horrible chemical weapons attack’ in Idlib US strikes Syrian airfield in first direct military action against Assad Report from Khan Sheikhun: ‘The dead were everywhere you looked’ His emotions have been stirred – but Trump’s bombs won’t help Syria US airstrikes on Syria: what we know so far Jamie Grierson (now) and Claire Phipps (earlier) Friday 7 April 2017 13.26 BST [Video: The world reacts to Trump’s Syria airstrikes] The leader of the Liberal Democrats, Tim Farron, has backed the US airstrikes in Syria in a piece for the Guardian. It starts: I am in no doubt that what will end the war in Syria is what ultimately ends every conflict: words and diplomacy, not weapons. But when diplomacy fails and civilians suffer, as they have been doing for many years in Syria, and when they are the victim of weapons that have been outlawed by the international community for their horrific and indiscriminate consequences, then we cannot shy away from proportionate military intervention. Facebook Twitter Google plus 34m ago 13:03 Play VideoPlay Current Time 0:00 / Duration Time 1:38 Loaded: 0% Progress: 0% FullscreenMute The world reacts to Trump’s Syria airstrikes Facebook Twitter Google plus 34m ago 13:03 Here’s a round up of global reaction to the US airstrikes in Syria: Syria airstrikes: global reaction exposes divisions over civil war Russia says US action is an aggression that violates international law while Israel claims Trump has sent a strong, clear message Read more Facebook Twitter Google plus 1h ago 12:35 Assad's office calls US strike 'reckless and irresponsible' The office of the Syrian president has called the US strike against one of its airbases in central Homs “reckless” and “irresponsible,” AP reports. The statement on Friday said the strikes were “shortsighted” and reflect a continuation of policy regardless of which administration that is based on targeting and “subjugating people.” It added that the dawn attack was not based on true facts. News_Executive (@News_Executive) UPDATE: Syrian presidency breaks silence, says U.S. airstrikes "foolish, irresponsible." pic.twitter.com/gYidve7CAp April 7, 2017 Updated at 1.26pm BST Facebook Twitter Google plus 1h ago 12:16 Putin holds security council meeting Shaun Walker Shaun Walker Vladimir Putin has held a meeting of the security council to discuss the Russian response. “The participants expressed deep concern at the inevitable negative consequences of these aggressive actions for the joint efforts to fight terrorism,” said spokesman Dmitry Peskov. He said the security council also expressed regret at the harm the strike would do to US-Russian relations, and they discussed ways to continue the Russian air force operation in Syria to give support to Assad’s army. Updated at 1.26pm BST Facebook Twitter Google plus 2h ago 11:55 Play VideoPlay Current Time 0:00 / Duration Time 0:38 Loaded: 0% Progress: 0% FullscreenMute Russian and Syrian TV claim to show airbase damage from US airstrike Facebook Twitter Google plus 2h ago 11:42 Russian military to strengthen Syrian air defences - AP The Russian military says it will help Syria strengthen its air defences after the US strike on a Syrian airbase, AP reports. Russian defence ministry spokesman Maj Gen Igor Konashenkov said that a “complex of measures” to strengthen Syrian air defences will be done shortly to help “protect the most sensitive Syrian infrastructure facilities”. Konashenkov said “the combat efficiency of the US strike was very low,” adding that only 23 of the 59 Tomahawk cruise missiles reached the Shayrat air base in the province of Homs. He said it destroyed six MiG-23 fighter jets of the Syrian air force which were under repairs, but didn’t damage other Syrian warplanes at the base. Konashenkov added that the base’s runway also has been left undamaged. Updated at 1.24pm BST Facebook Twitter Google plus 2h ago 11:32 The UN coordinator for humanitarian affairs says it has no sign that US military strikes against a Syrian airbase have had “any direct consequence” on overall aid operations in Syria, AP reports. Jens Laerke, of the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, said such violence “is not a new feature” of Syria’s war, and cited continued UN-led efforts to reach people in besieged and hard-to-reach areas of the country. The US launched cruise missile strikes against Shayrat airbase in Homs province following a chemical attack in a northern village that US officials and others have blamed on Assad forces. Ravina Shamdasani, the UN human rights office spokeswoman, said on Friday at a UN briefing that use of chemical weapons, if confirmed, would amount to a war crime. Updated at 11.38am BST Facebook Twitter Google plus 2h ago 11:28 The Nato secretary general, Jens Stoltenberg, said the Syrian president, Bashar al-Assad, “bears full responsibility” for the US airstrikes against an airbase in Syria, Reuters reports. Stoltenberg added: “Any use of chemical weapons is unacceptable, cannot go unanswered, and those responsible must be held accountable.” Stoltenberg was told by the US defense minister that strikes would go ahead. A still image taken from a video broadcast on Syrian state television shows an army airbase that was hit by US strike near the city of Homs. A still image taken from a video broadcast on Syrian state television shows an army airbase that was hit by US strike near the city of Homs. Photograph: Reuters Tv/Reuters Updated at 11.49am BST Facebook Twitter Google plus 2h ago 11:20 US missile attack risks escalation in Syria - Corbyn Jamie Grierson Jamie Grierson Jeremy Corbyn MP, leader of the Labour party, has broken his silence over the US missile strikes in Syria. He says: The US missile attack on a Syrian government airbase risks escalating the war in Syria still further. Tuesday’s horrific chemical attack was a war crime which requires urgent independent UN investigation and those responsible must be held to account. But unilateral military action without legal authorisation or independent verification risks intensifying a multi-sided conflict that has already killed hundreds of thousands of people. What is needed instead is to urgently reconvene the Geneva peace talks and unrelenting international pressure for a negotiated settlement of the conflict. The terrible suffering of the Syrian people must be brought to an end as soon as possible and every intervention must be judged on what contribution it makes to that outcome. The British government should urge restraint on the Trump administration and throw its weight behind peace negotiations and a comprehensive political settlement. Updated at 11.34am BST Facebook Twitter Google plus 2h ago 11:16 Daniel Boffey Daniel Boffey The European commission head, Jean Claude Juncker, responded that “he understands efforts to deter future attacks” and that the EU stood ready to play its role in finding a political solution to the crisis. A statement for the European commission president said: A horrific chemical weapons attack on civilians struck Khan Sheikhun on 4 April. Last night, in response, the US launched airstrikes on Shayrat airfield. The US has informed the EU that these strikes were limited and seek to deter further chemical weapons atrocities. President Juncker has been unequivocal in his condemnation of the use of chemical weapons. The repeated use of such weapons must be answered. He understands efforts to deter further attacks. There is a clear distinction between airstrikes on military targets and the use of chemical weapons against civilians. Efforts to stem the spiral of violence in Syria and work towards a lasting peace should be redoubled. Only a political transition can lead to such an outcome. President Juncker and the European commission as a whole stand ready to play their part in full. Updated at 11.32am BST Facebook Twitter Google plus 2h ago 11:13 Helena Smith Helena Smith The UK’s foreign secretary, Boris Johnson, appears to be taking a wait-and-see approach to the US president’s decision to launch the airstrike. Emerging from talks with the Greek prime minister, Alexis Tsipras, this morning, Johnson avoided making any comment, with one aide telling reporters he was “departing immediately” for Britain. Johnson had preferred to stick to the issues of Brexit, Cyprus and Turkey during his discussions with the Greek leader, officials in Athens told the Guardian. A spokeswoman for Number 10 and the UK defence secretary, Michael Fallon, have said they support the strikes, adding they were “appropriate”. Updated at 11.29am BST Facebook Twitter Google plus 2h ago 11:09 A warplane on Friday bombed the Syrian town of Khan Sheikhun, where a chemical attack killed scores of people this week and prompted US missile strikes, a witness in the rebel-held area and a war monitoring group said. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a British-based organisation that monitors the war, said a Syrian government or Russian warplane hit Khan Sheikhun, in rebel-held Idlib province, before noon local time. The Syrian army and the Russian defence ministry could not immediately be reached for comment. The witness, an activist working with an air raid warning service in opposition areas, said the jet struck at about 11am (0800 GMT) at the northern edge of the town, causing damage but no known casualties. The US fired dozens of cruise missiles on Friday at an airfield from which it said the Khan Sheikhun chemical attack that killed at least 70 people was launched on Tuesday. Washington blamed the gas attack on Syrian government forces. The Syrian government strongly denies responsibility and says it does not use chemical weapons. The Observatory and the witness said earlier this week that the aircraft which they accused of carrying out the suspected gas attack had flown out of the Shayrat airbase. The Syrian army said the missile attack on its airbase killed six people and caused extensive damage, describing it as a “blatant aggression”. A man carrying an injured child in Khan Sheikhun following the chemical attack earlier this week. A man carrying an injured child in Khan Sheikhun following the chemical attack earlier this week. Photograph: Uncredited/AP Updated at 11.28am BST Facebook Twitter Google plus -- Peace Is Doable -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Green Youth Movement" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. To post to this group, send an email to [email protected]. Visit this group at https://groups.google.com/group/greenyouth. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.
