White House quiet over raid in Syria

Middle East News

Oct 27, 2008, 17:17 GMT

Washington - The White House refused to comment Monday on reports of a deadly US military strike in Syria near the border with Iraq that has outraged Damascus and other Arab countries. 'I'm not going to comment on it at all,' White House spokeswoman Dana Perino said. The Syrian government and Arab leaders in the region have expressed anger over the purported US helicopter raid Sunday targeting militants in the town of Abu Kamal. The Syrian government says civilians, including children, were among the eight dead. The United States has accused Syria of failing to halt the flow of al-Qaeda-linked and other militants into Iraq since the 2003 invasion. US State Department spokesman Sean McCormack confirmed the Syrian Foreign Ministry summoned the US charge d'affaires at the embassy in Damascus, Maura Connelly, 'to raise with her these reports of activities in Abu Kamal.' The United States withdrew its ambassador from Syria in 2005. McCormack said the number of militants entering Iraq through Syria has declined over the years. 'That isn't to say that there aren't continuing issues there, in terms of people coming over the border,' he said. The Syrian government strongly condemned the raid. 'We consider this an act of criminal and terrorist aggression,' Syrian Foreign Minister Walid al-Muallem said.

Your Talkback on this Story

Older Talkback

Latest Headlines in Middle East

News from Other Sites

Phishing: Verified by Visa scam targets holiday shoppers

- The Tech Herald

Writer Hired For Underworld 4
Brad Pitt Producing Dark Void Video Game Adaptation

- Cinema Blend

Middle East

White House quiet over raid in Syria

Middle East News

Your Talkback on this Story

Older Talkback

Similar articles

Latest Headlines in Middle East

News from Other Sites

From Sites We Like

Latest Tech Herald News

Latest Cinema Blend News

In Monsters and Critics

Corporate

The Fine Print