Syria conflict
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Iran denounced as "destructive and dangerous" U.S. missile strikes against a Syrian airbase from which a suspected chemical weapons attack was launched, Iran's state news agency IRNA quoted Foreign Ministry spokesman as saying on Friday.
"Iran ... condemns use of chemical weapons ... but at the same time believes it is dangerous, destructive and a violation of international laws to use it as an excuse to take unilateral actions," IRNA quoted Bahram Qasemi as saying.
"Iran strongly condemns any such unilateral strikes... Such measures will strengthen terrorists in Syria ... and will complicate the situation in Syria and the region."
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Stocks spooked, safe assets jump after U.S. missile strike on Syria
Bonds, gold and the yen jumped in Asia on Friday, while stocks retreated, as investors fled to safe assets after the United States launched cruise missiles against an airbase in Syria, raising the risk of confrontation with Russia and Iran. -
A U.S. missile strike on an airbase near the Syrian city of Homs on Friday killed five people and wounded seven more, the Homs governor told the Lebanese TV station al-Mayadeen, saying he did not expect the casualty toll to rise by much.
Homs Governor Talal Barazi, in separate remarks to Reuters, said the targeted airbase had been providing air support for army operations against Islamic State east of Palmyra, and the attack served the interests of "armed terrorist groups".
"I believe - God willing - that the human casualties are not big, but there is material damage. We hope there are not many victims and martyrs," he told Reuters.
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Russian President Vladimir Putin believes that U.S. cruise missile strikes on a Syrian air base broke international law and have seriously hurt U.S.-Russia relations, news agencies cited the Kremlin as saying on Friday. Read more here. -
U.S. fires missiles at Assad airbase, escalating role in Syrian war
The United States fired dozens of cruise missiles at a Syrian airbase on Friday from which it said a deadly chemical weapons attack was launched this week, an escalation of the U.S. military role in Syria that swiftly drew sharp criticism from Russia. -
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Iran condemns air strike in Syria; Britain, Australia give support
Iran condemned a U.S. strike on a Syrian airbase on Friday as Britain and Australia gave their support, with Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull describing it as a "proportionate and calibrated response" to the use of chemical weapons. -
Britain fully supports the U.S. military strike against a Syrian airfield from which a deadly chemical weapons attack was launched, a government spokesman said on Friday. Read more here
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Iran said it strongly condemned U.S. missile strikes against a Syrian airbase, the Students News Agency ISNA quoted the foreign ministry spokesman as saying. Read more here
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Syrian monitor says at least four soldiers killed at airbase
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said at least four Syrian soldiers including a senior officer were killed in a U.S. missile attack that had almost completely destroyed a Syrian airbase near Homs city. -
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Saudi Arabia said on Friday it "fully supports" U.S. strikes on military targets in Syria, saying it was a "courageous decision" by President Donald Trump in response to the use of chemical weapons against civilians.
"A responsible source at the foreign ministry expressed the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia's full support for the American military operations on military targets in Syria, which came as a response to the Syrian regime's use of chemical weapons against innocent civilians...," a statement carried by state news agency SPA said.
The statement praised what it described as "the courageous decision" by Trump and said it holds the government of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad responsible for the military strikes.
(Reporting by Mohammed El Sherif and Sami Aboudi)
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Trump unleashes military strikes against Assad airbase in Syria
ReutersThe U.S. military launched cruise missile strikes ordered by President Donald Trump against a Syrian airbase controlled by President Bashar al-Assad's forces in response to a deadly chemical attack in a rebel-held area, a U.S. official said on Thursday. -
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A U.S. missile strike on an air base near Homs on Friday is not believed to have caused "big human casualties" but has caused material damage, Homs Governor Talal Barazi told Reuters.
"I believe - God willing - that the human casualties are not big, but there is material damage. We hope there are not many victims and martyrs," he said by telephone.
He said rescue and fire-fighting operations had been going on for two hours.
(Reporting by Kinda Makieh in Damascus) -
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Shayrat Airfield in Homs, Syria is seen in this DigitalGlobe satellite image on February 18, 2017 and released by the U.S. Defense Department on April 6, 2017 after announcing U.S. forces conducted a cruise missile strike against the Syrian Air Force airfield. DigitalGlobe/Courtesy U.S. Department of Defense/Handout via REUTERS
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A combination image released by the U.S. Department of Defense which they say shows the impact crater associated with April 4, 2017 Chemical Weapons Allegation released after U.S. cruise missile strike against Syria on April 7, 2017. Courtesy U.S. DoD/Handout via REUTERS
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TILLERSON ON SYRIA POLICY:“This clearly indicates the president is willing to take decisive action when called for and I think in this particular case the use of prohibited chemical weapons which violates a number of international norms and violates existing agreement called for thist ype of a response, which is a kinetic military response. I would not in any way attempt to extrapolate that to a change in our policy or our posture relative to our military activities in Syria today. There has been no change in that status."(Reporting by Steve Holland)
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Airstrikes are an act of war. Atrocities in Syria cannot justify departure from Constitution, which vests in Congress power to commence war.10:58 PM - 06 Apr 2017
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Framers of Constitution divided war powers to prevent abuse. Congress to declare war; president to conduct war and… https://t.co/4liDSJMYwJ11:08 PM - 06 Apr 2017- Reply
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Shayrat Airfield in Homs, Syria is seen in this DigitalGlobe satellite image released by the U.S. Defense Department on April 6, 2017 after announcing U.S. forces conducted a cruise missile strike against the Syrian Air Force airfield. DigitalGlobe/Courtesy U.S. Department of Defense/Handout via REUTERS
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DEMOCRATIC SENATOR CHRIS COONS
"While I’m encouraged that the Trump administration has felt compelled to act forcefully in Syria against the Assad regime, I’m gravely concerned that the United States is engaging further militarily in Syria without a well-thought-out, comprehensive plan. Frankly, the president’s actions today generate more questions than answers."
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SENATOR DICK DURBIN, DEMOCRATIC WHIP
"My preliminary briefing by the White House indicated that this was a measured response to the Syrian nerve gas atrocity. Any further action will require close scrutiny by Congress, and any escalation beyond air strikes or missile strikes will require engaging the American people in that decision."
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REPUBLICAN SENATOR RAND PAUL
"While we all condemn the atrocities in Syria, the United States was not attacked. The president needs congressional authorization for military action as required by the Constitution, and I call on him to come to Congress for a proper debate. Our prior interventions in this region have done nothing to make us safer, and Syria will be no different."
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WHO advance team on way to China to set up probe into virus origin
GENEVA An advance team from the World Health Organization (WHO) has left for China to organise an investigation into the origins of the novel coronavirus which sparked the global pandemic, a spokeswoman said on Friday.
