Mikdad affirms Syria will defend its people

Deputy Foreign an Expatriates Minister Dr. Fayssal Mikdad affirmed that the crime committed against civilians by the armed terrorist groups who launched a missile which produced gases in the area adds up to these groups  which are supported by some countries in the Arab Gulf, the West and particularly Turkey which is responsible for the crimes committed against civilians and the destruction taking place in Syria. In statements to journalists following his meeting on Tuesday with ambassadors in Damascus and representatives of international organizations operating in Syria, Mikdad said that this criminal acts proves the correctness of the analysis made by Syria which states that all the propaganda used in past weeks which made false accusations against the Syrian government were in preparation for committing this crime. He said that the explosion of the missile martyred over 21 civilians and 10 Syrian soldiers who were near the site, adding that citizens who inhaled the gases resulting from the explosion passed out immediately and were rushed to hospitals in Aleppo city. Mikdad affirmed that Syria will defend its people, continue its war against terrorist, and resume work to end the violence and the attacks committed by terrorist groups and those who arm, support, fund, harbor and send into Syria. He called on the international community to be vigilant, because the threat posed by terrorist group won't affect only Syria; rather it's a prelude that will affect the entire region and the whole world. "Encouraging terrorism and supporting it in Syria contradicts international law and Security Council resolutions," Mikdad said, adding that Syria will send a letter to the Security Council requesting it shoulder its responsibly and put an end to the crimes of terrorists and those who support them. Answering journalists' questions, Mikdad noted that Syria warned long ago that the allegations on the possibility of using chemical weapons were meant to assist terrorists when they launch their missiles, which is exactly the scenario which was implemented on Tuesday before the convening of the Arab Summit and other international activities in order to mislead world public opinion. He said that the countries that claimed Syria could use these weapons against its own people were in fact preparing the terrorist group to launch such attacks, pointing out that the authorities are examining the explosion site, the soil there and the patients who are suffering from the results of this criminal acts, and that the results will be presented to the concerned sides. Responding to a question on the allegations that the Syrian Army launched the missile, Mikdad said that the missile was launched from an area controlled by terrorists and it fell near a Syrian Army location in area under the control of the Army and supporters who are not influenced by the terrorist groups, reiterating that Syria would never use such weapons if it possessed any against its own people and forces. He said that the international community now knows through reports the true intentions of the terrorist groups and witnessed the tests they conducted on such weapons, particularly after the terrorists seized a factory for making chlorine and possibly used materials from it to produce such a weapon. Answering a question on media leaks saying that Britain made a decision to transport troops from Afghanistan to the area for the purpose of intervention in Syria, Mikdad said that if such a decision was true, then it's wrong to consider it or the arming of the opposition by some EU countries including France and Britain to be new decisions, because these countries have been arming the opposition and terrorist groups since the events began, in addition to participating in their operations, planning and executing and the murder of Syrians. "Syria holds these countries since the first hours of violence responsible for complicity in murdering Syrians and shedding their blood," he said. Mikdad called upon the UN and the international community to put an end to the interference by the US, France, Britain and certain involved Arab Gulf countries in Syrian affairs and to the training and arming of terrorists, because this will have negative repercussions on the region and on countries which support terrorism under different justifications which only elicit sarcasm from Syrians and more self-confidence in confronting these countries which want to return Syria to the ages of colonialism, affirming that the steadfast Syrian people will thwart this conspiracy. In response to the opposition's political statements, Mikdad said that the political program for resolving the crisis by ending all forms of violence concurrently and by going to the dialogue table which is open to all those who wish to end this crisis through dialogue constitute the answer to all these questions.