Tabnak – After the United Nations Security Council failed at its latest session last night to agree on a measure for probing the alleged use of chemical weapons in Syria, the possibility of a US strike to Syria is looming. Russia warns that it will retaliate if its interests is targeted in the American strike.
In this vein, US-led warplanes are reportedly flying over Syria’s border areas with Iraq. Sky News reported early Wednesday that the US-led fighter jets are patrolling at a low altitude over the Syrian border town of al-Tanf in Homs Province, where Washington runs a military base.
Other reports say the US-led coalition’s aircraft have been spotted in the Iraqi and Jordanian skies heading towards Syria. “Heavy flight of US & coalition aircraft over the Syria-Iraq border,” said a journalist on the ground, according to the UK’s Daily Express.
A Twitter user also said, “Coalition jets soaring the skies in large Dayr al-Zawr desert.” Russian planes are also in flight over Syria’s Idlib Province, according to pro-militant forces.
Meanwhile, the US ambassador to NATO, Kay Hutchison, accused Syrian President Bashar al-Assad of “genocide” in the aftermath of a suspected chemical attack in the Damascus suburb of Douma, calling for “a military response.”
In an interview with Sky News, Hutchison urged US allies like Britain to join Washington in a "concerted and joint effort" against the Syrian government. “We would call on Russia to do something, they’re propping up Assad, they’re helping him,” she added. “They should do something to stop this kind of genocide. We would call on them to do that.”
The developments come after last night’s session of UNSC in which the members failed to agree on a measure to probe the possible use of chemicals in Douma. At the session, Russia vetoed a US resolution and a rival measure put forward by Russia -- which called for a probe requiring the Security Council to attribute responsibility -- also failed to garner enough votes for adoption.
Meanwhile, Iranian foreign minister’s special assistant for political affairs, Hossein Jaberi Ansari, said that in Iran’s view, employing chemical weapons by any party is totally unacceptable and rejected recent Western accusations about the Syrian government’s use of such weapons as fabricated.
The official said that Syria is undergoing new developments and the US and some other countries are threating to take action against the Syrian government under the pretext of chemical weapons use.
On Sunday, Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Bahram Qassemi also said claims that the Syrian government used chemical weapons in Douma in Eastern Ghouta are "conspiratorial" and "illogical".
The Syrian government has had a good cooperation with the United Nations on chemical matters, Qassemi said, adding that the international community, after Syria’s accession to the Chemical Weapons Convention, destroyed all the chemical weapons production and manufacturing facilities of the Arab country.
“Such allegations by the US and some other Western countries reveal a new conspiracy against the Syrian government and people. This is an excuse for military action against Syrians and will definitely add to the complexity of the situation in this country and region.”
“Such claims would also make the terrorist more resolute in committing crimes, which will not contribute to peace, stability and security in the region and in the world,” he added.
