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SYRIA: US, France deny missile interception claims by Russia

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SYRIA: US, France deny missile interception claims by Russia

Russia’s claim that Syrian air defence had intercepted at least 71 cruise missiles fired by the US, the UK and French forces has been denied by the allied forces.

Lieutenant-General Kenneth McKenzie, the director of the Joint Staff at the Pentagon denied the claims while addressing a press conference on Saturday.

“None of our aircraft or missiles involved in this operation were successfully engaged by Syrian air defences”.

McKenzie added that were no known civilian casualties, during air strikes on Syrian ‘chemical weapons sites’ but noted that Syria had fired about 40 unguided surface-to-air missiles, most of which didn’t launch until after the allied strike was over.

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“When you shoot iron into the air without guidance, it’s going to come down somewhere,” McKenzie said.

French officials also said that they believed none of their missiles was intercepted.

The attack on Syria was ordered by US President Donald Trump “on targets associated with the chemical weapons capabilities”.

“I ordered the United States armed forces to launch precision strikes on targets associated with the chemical weapon capabilities of Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad,” Trump said from the White House late on Friday.

The attacks early on Saturday come in response to a suspected chemical weapons attack in the former rebel stronghold of Douma last weekend.

 

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