Airstrikes sow carnage in Syria
Ambulances, medical hubs targeted
SYRIAN activists say airstrikes across the opposition-held Idlib province have killed at least 19 people, with some targeting ambulances and medical centres.
The Civil Defence, a search-andrescue organisation, says four medical staff were killed in an attack on a university hospital in Deir Sharqi, and another four paramedics or ambulance operators were killed in a strike on an ambulance services charity in Maarzita.
The activist-run Idlib Media Centre said another four people were killed by barrel bombs dropped on the town of Khan Sheikhoun, the site of a chemical attack earlier this month.
The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said 19 civilians, including nine children, were killed around the northern province yesterday. The Civil Defence reported the same overall death toll.
The activists believe Russia or the Syrian government launched the raids. The US is also known to strike at positions in Idlib province, where it targets al-Qaeda-affiliated fighters.
Hundreds of thousands of Syrians displaced by the war have sought refuge in the rural province, which is now largely under the control of hard-line rebel groups. It borders Turkey to the north.
Syria’s government has condemned what it says are “lies and fabricated allegations” by the French foreign minister concerning a deadly chemical weapons attack in Syria earlier this month.
Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault said chemical analysis of samples taken from the April 4 sarin gas attack “bears the signature” of President Bashar al-Assad’s government and shows it was responsible.
Yesterday, the Syrian foreign ministry said Ayrault’s remarks show “France’s involvement in masterminding this crime”.
It also said France had no legal authority to determine what happened in Khan Sheikhoun, the rebel-held town where the incident occurred.
Britain’s foreign secretary says Britain could join the US in further military action against Syria if asked to do so.
Boris Johnson said yesterday it would be “very difficult to say no” if the US seeks British help on a military mission against the regime of Assad.
The decision would be up to the government and Prime Minister Theresa May.
President Donald Trump ordered a cruise missile attack against a Syrian air base earlier this month in response to Assad’s apparent use of chemical weapons against Syrians.
US officials have said further attacks are likely if Assad uses banned chemical weapons again
Syria’s state media is reporting that Israel has attacked a military installation near the Damascus International Airport.
Sana says Israel fired several missiles from inside the occupied Golan Heights at a military installation near the capital’s main airport, triggering several explosions and causing damage.
There were no immediate reports of casualties.
Residents reported feeling the blasts shortly before 4am.
Israel’s intelligence minister says a large explosion near the Damascus airport is in line with Israeli policy but stopped short of taking responsibility for it.
Yisrael Katz wouldn’t comment directly on the strike yesterday.
But he said: “It absolutely matches our declared policy, a policy that we implement.”
Israel has repeatedly warned against “game-changing” weapons reaching Hezbollah from Syria, which along with Iran supports the militant group.
Hezbollah fired more than 4 000 rockets on neighbouring Israel in the 2006 war.
The explosion was heard across the Syrian capital, jolting residents awake.
Israel has been largely unaffected by the Syrian civil war.
It has also carried out a number of airstrikes on suspected weapon convoys it believed were destined for Hezbollah.