IAWM CONDEMNS LATEST ATROCITY IN SYRIA AND THE HYPOCRISY OF WESTERN AND RUSSIAN POWERS

IAWM PRESS RELEASE 05 APRIL 2017
IAWM CONDEMNS LATEST ATROCITY IN SYRIA AND THE HYPOCRISY OF WESTERN AND RUSSIAN POWERS
The aerial attack on Khan Sheikhun in Idlib province, apparently carried out by the Syrian regime, which appears to have involved chemical weapons, is another terrible outrage in the war which has devastated Syria since 2011. More than 72 people are now reported dead, 20 of these children, and over 200 horribly wounded.
Like with so much reportage from Syria it is difficult to untangle the truth of who is responsible for the carnage. This latest atrocity, whether it is a direct chemical attack by the Syrian regime or a conventional attack on a rebel weapons compound holding chemicals as the Russian Government is claiming, only exposes the games of the outside forces involved in Syria’s proxy war.
While condemning this attack the IAWM contends that any further military intervention by outside forces can only prolong the horror of this war for the Syrian people and most be resisted by anti-war and peace activists. This appalling attack therefore must not be used as a justification for yet further Western escalation especially following Donald Trump administration’s recent announcement of the deployment of 1,000 ground troops in the country.
This latest atrocity only adds to the litany of recent carnage in the region.
Not so avidly reported by the Western media however is the Western backed assault on Mosul across the border in Iraq which is also causing a huge number of casualties. It is estimated that the US-led coalition bombing raids have killed around 1,500 civilians in March alone and hundreds of thousands have been displaced. On 28 March one US strike alone caused the deaths of 112 civilians in Mosul, according to a CNN report.
The IAWM condemns all these attacks and calls for the withdrawal of all foreign militaries from the middle east and for peace negotiations to ensue.

IAWM PRESS RELEASE 05 APRIL 2017
IAWM CONDEMNS LATEST ATROCITY IN SYRIA AND THE HYPOCRISY OF WESTERN AND RUSSIAN POWERS
The aerial attack on Khan Sheikhun in Idlib province, apparently carried out by the Syrian regime, which appears to have involved chemical weapons, is another terrible outrage in the war which has devastated Syria since 2011. More than 72 people are now reported dead, 20 of these children, and over 200 horribly wounded.
Like with so much reportage from Syria it is difficult to untangle the truth of who is responsible for the carnage. This latest atrocity, whether it is a direct chemical attack by the Syrian regime or a conventional attack on a rebel weapons compound holding chemicals as the Russian Government is claiming, only exposes the games of the outside forces involved in Syria’s proxy war.
While condemning this attack the IAWM contends that any further military intervention by outside forces can only prolong the horror of this war for the Syrian people and most be resisted by anti-war and peace activists. This appalling attack therefore must not be used as a justification for yet further Western escalation especially following Donald Trump administration’s recent announcement of the deployment of 1,000 ground troops in the country.
This latest atrocity only adds to the litany of recent carnage in the region.
Not so avidly reported by the Western media however is the Western backed assault on Mosul across the border in Iraq which is also causing a huge number of casualties. It is estimated that the US-led coalition bombing raids have killed around 1,500 civilians in March alone and hundreds of thousands have been displaced. On 28 March one US strike alone caused the deaths of 112 civilians in Mosul, according to a CNN report.
The IAWM condemns all these attacks and calls for the withdrawal of all foreign militaries from the middle east and for peace negotiations to ensue.
The attacks in Mosul and this recent horrific attack in Syria show the true horror of war for civilians and only underlines the urgency to stop these wars and achieve political solutions.
Contact:
Jim Roche, PRO, Steering Committee IAWM, Tel. 087 647 2737
John Molyneux, Secretary, Steering Committee IAWM, Tel. 085 735 6424
Michael Youlton, Chair, Steering Committee IAWM, Tel. 086 815 9487
Edward Horgan, Steering Committee IAWM, Tel. 085 851 9623
Glenda Cimino, Steering Committee IAWM, Tel. 086 124 9456
Memet Uludag, Steering Committee IAWM, Tel. 087 7919307
For more information on the IAWM see:
Website – www.irishantiwar.org
@IrishAntiWarMvt https://twitter.com/#!/IrishAntiWarMvt
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