DAMASCUS: The Syrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs yesterday summoned the US charge d’affaires in protest at a military raid on Syria, Syrian news agency SANA reported.
The Syrian Foreign Ministry said it was waiting for clarification from the Iraqi and US governments on the raid that killed eight people near Syria’s border with Iraq. Syria called the raid “unacceptable for Syria’s sovereignty” and said it could take measures in response. No further details were given.
Syrian officials summoned Charge d’Affaires Maura Connelly to inform her of the closing of a US school and a cultural institution the day before.
Meanwhile, diplomatic sources in the US Embassy in Syria stated that they did not receive any official document that confirms the closing of the American Cultural Center and the American School.
Sunday’s raid which the US said targeted an Al-Qaeda leader in Syria has been condemned by a number of Arab states and Iran, which fears that the US would use Iraq as a base for attacks on neighboring countries.
Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu, general-secretary of the Organization of Islamic Conference, also condemned the US attack in a declaration from OIC headquarters in Jeddah yesterday. Ihsanoglu held the US responsible for the deaths of innocent civilians in the helicopter-borne commando raid. Syria’s state-run media said eight civilians, including four children, were killed in the raid.
Syria earlier said it is awaiting an explanation from Washington and Baghdad before deciding whether to take further retaliatory steps.
“Syria is awaiting official explanations from the US and Iraqi governments on this unacceptable violation of Syrian sovereignty before taking additional measures,” Deputy Foreign Minister Faisal Meqdad said.
