DFA monitors situation of Filipinos in Syria after US airstrike
April 7, 2017 | 1:38pm
In this image provided by the U.S. Navy, the guided-missile destroyer USS Porter (DDG 78) launches a tomahawk land attack missile in the Mediterranean Sea, Friday, April 7, 2017. The United States blasted a Syrian air base with a barrage of cruise missiles in fiery retaliation for this week's gruesome chemical weapons attack against civilians.
Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Ford Williams / U.S. Navy via AP
MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) on Friday said it is monitoring the situation of over a thousand Filipinos in Syria following the United States' (US) massive airstrike against the country.
Trump ordered the strike after the Syrian government unleashed on Tuesday suspected chemical weapons on rebel-held Khan Sheikhun in Syria's northwestern province of Idlib, killing at least 86 people, including 27 children.
Health officials from the neighboring country of Turkey said results of post-mortems performed on victims point to possible exposure to sarin, a lethal nerve agent that can kill in minutes.
Over 50 Tomahawk missiles launched from US Navy destroyers in the Mediterranean Sea targetted Syria's Shayrat airbase, believed to be the site from where the chemical weapons were dispatched.
Foreign Affairs spokesperson Charles Jose noted that the strike was aimed at the airbase and not at civilian centers where most Filipinos reside.
"Nevertheless, our Embassy in Damascus is monitoring the situation very closely and is in close coordination with the Filipino community to ensure their safety," he said.
There are about 1,400 Filipinos in Syria, according to the DFA.
Syria has been the site of a civil war for over half a decade—claiming more than 250,000 lives and forcing millions of others to flee their homes.
Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's government has denied the use of chemical weapons and even claimed never using such despite sufficient evidence found by UN investigators that it had used chlorine gas against civilians twice before between 2014 and 2015.
The strike has killed four Syrian troops and nearly destroyed the airbase, according to a monitor. — with a report from Agence France-Presse
BrandSpace Articles
<
>
Philstar
x
- Latest
- Trending
Trending
Latest
Trending
By James Relativo | 1 day ago
By Ian Laqui | 1 day ago
By Alexis Romero | 6 hours ago
By Rosette Adel | 13 hours ago
Latest
By Janvic Mateo | 6 hours ago
By Alexis Romero | 6 hours ago
By Rhodina Villanueva | 6 hours ago
By Marc Jayson Cayabyab | 6 hours ago
Recommended
1 day ago
1 day ago
1 day ago
1 day ago
