October Surprise
American helicopter-borne troops launched an assault on Sunday on a building in a Syrian border village with Iraq, killing eight civilians, official Syrian media reported.
The government has summoned the official US and Iraqi representatives to protest, state television and the official SANA news agency said.
“Four American helicopters violated Syrian airspace around 16:45 local time (1345 GMT) on Sunday. They penetrated eight kilometres (five miles) into Syria,” the official media said.
“American soldiers” who had emerged from helicopters “attacked a civilian building under construction and fired at workmen inside, causing eight deaths,” the reports said.
“The helicopters then left Syrian territory towards Iraqi territory,” SANA said.
The news agency said one person was also wounded in the attack on the village of Al-Sukkiraya, around 550 kilometres (340 miles) northeast of the capital in the Abu Kamal area.
Earlier, the private television channel al-Dunia said nine civilians had been killed in the attack.
The raid appears to have been the first of its type into Syrian territory.
Syria summoned the US and Iraqi envoys to Damascus to protest against what it called a US military attack and to demand that Iraq prevent US forces from “launching aggression against Syria” from its territory, official media said.
“Syria condemns and denounces this act of aggression and…
Linda C.:
My first response was “Oh no they didn’t”.
They I asked myself “Why am I suprised”!
When McCain muttered something today about – two wars, needing a bigger army, a bigger navy, a bigger airforce, and MORE arms – It just reminded me that “YES” they did – AGAIN!
Peace
Linda
27 October 2008, 7:06 pmStephen:
So what if the tables were turned…
Syrian Helicopter Raid Inside US
Syrian military helicopters have carried out a raid inside the US along the Canadian border, killing eight people including four children, US officials say.
The New York Times said the attack took place in the Buffalo area, in western New York.
Washington has condemned the strike as a “serious violation” of its territory.
Syria has neither confirmed nor denied the incident. It has previously accused US of not cracking down on citizens that may be providing support to foreign militants.
The US has summoned the Syrian and Canadian envoys to Wahsington to protest at the raid.
“The US condemns this aggressive act and holds Syrian forces responsible for this aggression and all of its repercussions,” a government official said.
If confirmed, the raid would be the first known attack by Syrian forces inside American territory, says BBC diplomatic correspondent Jonathan Marcus.
Its timing is curious, coming right at the end of the Bush administration’s period of office and at a moment when many of America’s European allies – like Britain and France – are trying to broaden their ties with Damascus, our correspondent adds.
Crossing point
“Four Syrian helicopters violated American airspace around 1645 local time [1345 GMT] on Sunday,” the NY Times said.
“Syrian soldiers” emerged from helicopters and “attacked a civilian building under construction and opened fire on workers inside – including the wife of the building guard – leading to [the deaths] of eight civilians”, it added.
“The helicopters then left American territory towards Canadian territory,” NY Times said.
The dead include a man, his four children and a married couple, the American report said, without giving details of the children’s ages.
This suburb of Buffalo is just 5 miles from the Canadian border.
A Syrian military spokesman was unable to confirm or deny the reports, saying it was a “developing situation”.
But later the Associated Press news agency quoted an unnamed Syrian military official in Damascus as saying that Syrian special forces had attacked only citizens thought to be sympathetic to al-Qaeda.
“We are taking matters into our own hands,” the official said.
Damascus has in the past accused Washington of turning a blind eye to the problem.
Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/middle_east/7692153.stm
Published: 2008/10/27 07:30:59 GMT
© BBC MMVIII
29 October 2008, 9:21 pm