Syria urges world to 'punish terrorist Israel. It planned for war'
Following accusations that Israel launched rockets near a military airport in Damascus overnight Thursday, Syria tells UN secretary-general to take immediate steps to punish Israel, which launched an attack planned by, among others, 'France, Britain and the US.'
In two letters written by the Syrian Foreign Ministry to the UN Secretary-General António Guterres and to the president of the Security Council, it said, “Israel’s role in the war of terrorists in Syria has been exposed.
“Her total lack of hesitation to carry out a terror attack recently obligates the international community and the security council to take immediate steps to punish Israeli aggression and prevent recurring attacks.”
The statement went on to describe “Israeli aggression” as being “part of a long line of Israeli attacks since the beginning of the terrorist war against Syrian sovereignty and independence.”
It also attempted to implicate a number of nations in the attack, saying that the war “was planned in the corridors of Israeli, French and American intelligence and (by) their agents in Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Qatar and other countries that wanted to establish their control and hegemony in Syria.”
The statement from the Syrian Foreign Ministry accused Israel of attacking at the same time as "armed terrorist groups" suffered defeat in northern, central and southern Syria. "The new aggression comes after the greatest defeat of the terrorist Al-Nusra Front and its allies in eastern Aleppo, and also after the signing of the reconciliation accord that lead to the exit of terrorists from areas around Damascus, especially from Khal al-Sheikh, Quneitra, Daraa and other places. This fact shattered the dreams of Israel and its allies in the West and of the Saudi and Qatari terrorists who collaborate with them."
The Syrian Monitoring Center for Human Rights reported on Friday morning of deaths in the attack. The Hezbollah-affiliated Al-Mayadeen network in Lebanon reported that airport officials were claiming that four soldiers were wounded in the attack that was intended to damage strongholds of weapons and ammunition.
“Planes of the Israeli enemy launched a number of rockets at 00:25 from the Kinneret area at the military airport of Mezzeh,” Syrian media quoted a military official.
The Syrian army statement said Israel through its attacks was assisting "terrorist groups" fighting the Syrian government.
"The Syrian army command and armed forces warn the Israeli enemy of the repercussions of this blatant attack and stresses it will continue its war on terrorism," the army statement continued.
The Saudi Al-Arabiya network, which is affiliated with the rebels, quoted opposition activists who claimed that amongst those killed were Syrian officers. On a Syrian radio station affiliated with the regime, it was reported overnight that eight missiles were fired at the area. An eyewitness quoted by the station claimed that planes were heard before the explosions.
