Turkey welcomes US-led joint airstrikes in Syria

By Handan Kazanci

ANKARA (AA) - Turkey has welcomed a joint strike by the U.S., U.K., and France against the Assad regime in the wake of a suspected chemical attack, which killed dozens outside of Damascus in Syria.

In a statement on Saturday, the Foreign Ministry termed the airstrikes as an “appropriate response”.

“We welcome this operation which has eased humanity’s conscience in the face of the attack in Douma, largely suspected to have been carried out by the regime,” the ministry said.

“Attacks with weapons of mass destruction, including chemical weapons, that indiscriminately target civilians constitute crimes against humanity.

“The Syrian regime, which has been tyrannizing its own people for more than seven years, be it with conventional or chemical weapons, has a proven track record of crimes against humanity and war crimes. The conscience of the international community carries no doubt to that effect,” it added.

The ministry said it was of critical importance that “such crimes do not go unpunished and that accountability is ensured in order to prevent the recurrence of similar crimes”.

Turkey called on the international community, especially the members of the UN Security Council, to take joint steps to ensure that the “use of chemical weapons does not go unpunished”.

On Friday night, the U.S. President Donald Trump announced that the U.S., the U.K. and France jointly launched strikes targeting the Assad regime's alleged chemical weapons capabilities after a suspected chemical attack killed dozens outside of Damascus.

The joint strike came after the White Helmets, a civil defense agency, blamed the Assad regime for the chemical attack, which it said killed 78 civilians and injured hundreds of others.