Russia to US: Beware of Unilateral Action in Syria
Local Editor
Russia warned the US against any unilateral action in Syria after Washington claimed Damascus may be preparing for a chemical attack.
On Wednesday, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Gennady Gatilov assured that the Syrian army troops pose no threat to the US forces, Russia's RIA news agency stated.
He also denounced US attacks on the Syrian armed forces, saying "these actions are provocative in nature."
Earlier this month, a US Navy F/A-18 Super Hornet shot down a Syrian SU-22, which was conducting an operation against Daesh [Arabic Acronym for the terrorist "ISI"/"ISIL" group] militants on the outskirts of the city of Raqqah.
In two occasions in June and May, US warplanes targeted Syrian military forces near the town of At-Tanf.
Elsewhere in his comments, Gatilov said the US statements accusing the Syrian government of a chemical weapons attack would hinder the intra-Syrian talks.
"These speculations are not backed up by anything. No one is putting forward any facts," he said.
The US statements are unacceptable if they are meant to fuel Syria tensions, he said, adding, "This complicates the negotiation process, negatively affects the efforts being made in Astana and Geneva."
Earlier this week, a statement by White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer said the US had "identified potential preparations for another chemical weapons attack" by the Syrian government, nothing that it would "pay a heavy price" if such an assault took place.
Pentagon spokesman Navy Captain Jeff Davis further said that Washington had seen "activity" at Shayrat airfield in Syria's Homs Province that "indicated active preparations for chemical weapons use."
Additionally, US ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley said the US administration had issued a warning to Syria over a possible chemical weapons attack after seeing preparations similar to those in April.
On Tuesday, President Vladimir Putin's spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, dismissed the US warning on chemical attack, saying "such threats to Syria's legitimate leaders are unacceptable."
Source: News Agencies, Edited by website team
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