Syria strikes: Latest updates

The United States, Britain and France launched strikes against the Syrian regime early on Saturday (local time in Syria) in response to the alleged chemical weapons attack on Saturday April 7 on Douma, eastern Ghouta.

A map showing the sites targeted in the US-led air strikes against the Syrian regime, Saturday, April 14, 2018.
A map showing the sites targeted in the US-led air strikes against the Syrian regime, Saturday, April 14, 2018. (TRTWorld)
Here is a timeline of events as they are unfolding

April 16:

0142 GMT:

The United States, France and Britain launch a new bid at the UN Security Council to investigate chemical weapons attacks in Syria.

The three allies circulated a joint draft resolution that also calls for unimpeded deliveries of humanitarian aid in Syria and demands that Syria engage in UN-led peace talks, according to the text of the resolution.

1925 GMT:

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan talks on the phone to his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin about Syria, agreeing to work to reduce tension and continue efforts for a political solution, the Turkish presidency said.

Erdogan and Putin agreed to "maintain decisiveness to reduce tension on the ground in Syria and continue efforts for apolitical solution," Ankara said in a statement.

1830 GMT:

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan speaks over the phone on with his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron, according to a presidential source.

The two leaders discussed the US-led airstrikes against Bashar al Assad regime in Syria as well as bilateral and regional issues.

Erdogan highlighted the importance of working together with France to resolve Syrian crisis and importance of not escalating tensions in Syria.

The French president shared information with Erdogan about the latest airstrikes on Syrian regime.

Erdogan underlined that Assad regime''s attacks with both chemical and conventional weapons should end.

He stressed that the political solution is necessary to bring peace in the country.

1730 GMT:

French President Emmanuel Macron says the joint military operation by the US, Britain and France on Syrian targets has achieved its goals.

Macron's office said in a statement that the French leader talked separately with the US President Donald Trump and the British Prime Minister Theresa May after the strikes had ended.

Macron said, "the operation against the chemical capabilities of the Syrian regime has achieved its objectives."

Macron also "praised the excellent coordination of French forces with those of British and American allies" during the military strikes.

1725 GMT:

The UN Security Council rejected a Russian resolution calling for condemnation of the "aggression" by the United States and its allies against Syria.

Only three countries - Russia, China and Bolivia - voted in favour of the resolution at the end of an emergency meeting of the 15-member council called by Russia.

Eight countries voted against and three abstained.

A resolution needs at least nine "yes" votes to be approved.

The vote reflected the deep divisions in the UN's most powerful body, which has been paralysed in dealing with the seven-year Syrian conflict and chemical weapons use in the country.

1708 GMT:

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu couples praise for US-led strikes on Syrian targets with a warning that Iran's presence there further endangers Syria.

"A year ago I gave Israel's total support for US President Donald Trump's decision to mobilise against the use of chemical weapons," he said in a written statement, referring to American strikes against the Syrian regime in April 2017 after a sarin gas attack on a rebel-held town.

"Israel's support remains unchanged," Netanyahu said.

Netanyahu said Syrian regime leader Bashar al Assad must understand that "his provision of a forward base for Iran and its proxies endangers Syria."

1607 GMT:

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg says all 29 of the members in the alliance back the airstrikes on Syria as a consequence of the Assad regime conducting a suspected chemical attack against its civilians last weekend.

Stoltenberg said the strikes early on Saturday by the US, United Kingdom and France were about making sure that chemical weapons cannot be used with impunity.

He noted that the three allies said it was "a very successful action" that significantly degraded the abilities of Syrian regime leader forces to launch chemical attacks again soon.

1530 GMT:

US Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley tells the UN Security Council the United States is "locked and loaded" to strike again if Syrian regime leader Bashar al Assad again uses chemical weapons.

"We are confident that we have crippled Syria's chemical weapons program. We are prepared to sustain this pressure, if the Syrian regime is foolish enough to test our will," she said.

"If the Syrian regime uses this poison gas again, the United States is locked and loaded," Haley said.

1518 GMT:

Russian Ambassador Vassily Nebenzya says the UNSC should vote later on Saturday on a Moscow-drafted resolution condemning the "aggression" and demanding that the US and its allies refrain from any further strikes.

Nebenzya also said that the US-led attack was an "act of aggression" against a sovereign state.