US, two allies launch attack on Syrian sites
Coordinated strike by US, Britain, France; Russia seeks emergency meeting of UN security council, India calls for show of restraint
WASHINGTON: The United States said on Saturday it “dealt a severe blow” to the “heart” of Syria’s chemical weapons infrastructure in a joint military strike it carried out early in the morning with allies Britain and France in retaliation for a suspected gas attack earlier in the month that killed more than 40 people and injured hundreds.
The US and its allies have accused Syria’s Bashar al-assad of ordering a chemical weapons attack on a rebel-held town Douma, just outside Damascus, on April 7 that killed more than 40 people. They have alleged the Syrian government used chlorine gas in that attack, and possibly others.
“The targets we selected were at the heart of the Syrian regime’s illegal chemical weapons program,” US ambassador to UN Nikki Haley said at an emergency meeting of the Security Council called by Russia to condemn the allied action. She added, quoting President Donald Trump: “If the Syrian regime uses this poisonous gas again, the United States is ‘locked and loaded’.”
Earlier, Trump had called the chemical attack “crimes of a monster”. “Mission accomplished,” he wrote on Twitter on Saturday, forgetting perhaps that the last time a US president used those two words, things had not gone too well — President George W Bush declared victory in the Iraq war just weeks after the 2003 invasion but the conflict dragged on for years.
Syria’s chief allies, Russia and Iran, called the use of force by the United States, Britain and France a “military crime” and “act of aggression” with the potential to worsen a humanitarian crisis after years of civil war. The UN Security Council planned to meet later Saturday at Moscow’s request.
“Good souls will not be humiliated,” Syrian President Bashar Assad tweeted, while hundreds of Syrians gathered in Damascus, the capital, where they flashed victory signs and waved flags in scenes of defiance.
Officials in the Indian government said the situation was being closely monitored.
“The alleged use of chemical weapons, if true, is deplorable. We call for an impartial and objective investigation by the OPCW to establish the facts,” said a spokesperson for the foreign ministry, adding that New Delhi would also urge all parties to “show restraint” and avoid any “further escalation” in the situation. OPCW is short for Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons.
“The matter should be resolved through dialogue and negotiations, and on the basis of the principles of the UN Charter and in accordance with international law,” said the official. PHAGWARA: Tension prevailed in Phagwara on Saturday following a Friday night clash between two groups over renaming a roundabout (chowk) after Dalit icon Dr BR Ambedkar.
Five people were injured and around 100 people, including 33 by name, were booked under Sections 307 (attempt to murder), 295A (hurting religious sentiments), 392 (robbery), 353 (assault), 186, 427, 148 and 149 of the Indian Penal Code and provisions of the Arms Act and National Highways Act. Those booked included Lok Insaaf Party (LIP) leader Jarnail Nangal and his son, senior state vice-president of Shiv Sena (Bal Thackeray) Inderjit Karwal and Shiv Sena leader Shivi Batta.
The trouble started around 11pm on Friday night when members of Dalit groups put up Ambedkar’s banner at Goal Chowk, demanding naming it as Savidhan Chowk. This was opposed by members of a Hindu right-wing organisation. Some shots were also fired during the clash, police said.
On Saturday morning, Punjab Shiv Sena leader Rajesh Palta was allegedly attacked by members of a Dalit group. When police reached the spot to rescue him, the group pelted them with stones and also damaged their vehicle near Valmiki Chowk in the Subash Nagar locality of the town.
Following this, authorities suspended mobile internet servi- ces in Doaba , comprising Kapurthala, Jalandhar, Hoshiarpur and SBS Nagar districts, for the next 24 hours. Heavy police force remained deployed across the city and shopkeepers kept their establishments closed. The Delhilahore bus was diverted from Kartarpur and Phillaur. Even vehicular traffic between Ludhiana and Jalandhar was diverted via link roads.
Later in the day, members of various Hindu organisations and the General Samaj Manch gathered at a local temple and demanded registration of case against members of the Dalit organisations. They also demanded transfer of SDM Jyoti Bala and SP Parminder Singh.
Taking serious note of the clash, CM Captain Amarinder Singh said that culprits would not be speared. “Will not allow Punjab’s peace to be destroyed at any cost. The government will bear all expenses for treatment of all those injured in the incident.”
CHIEF RAJIV TANDON AND OTHERS PUT UNDER HOUSE ARREST IN LUDHIANA WHEN THEY TRIED TO GO TO PHAGWARA