Erdogan calls for further steps against Syrian regime

By Ahmet Sait Akcay

HATAY, Turkey

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan called on Friday for further steps to be taken over the Syrian regime’s chemical attack on Idlib.

Speaking at a rally in Turkey’s southern province of Hatay, Erdogan said it was the time to take “result-oriented steps to protect the people of Syria”.

Although he welcomed American missile strikes on Syrian regime targets and said he considered it “significant”, Erdogan also said the measures were not enough.

“After all this, it becomes inevitable that everyone should reconsider their positions,” he added.

Early on Friday the U.S. fired 59 Tomahawk missiles at Shayrat Air Base, which American officials believe was used to carry out Tuesday’s deadly chemical attack, the Pentagon confirmed.

The missiles were fired from two U.S. destroyers in the eastern Mediterranean and hit the air base at approximately 3.45 a.m. Syrian local time Friday (0045GMT).

Aircraft, hardened aircraft shelters, petroleum and logistical storage, ammunition supply bunkers, air defense systems and radars were targeted, the Pentagon said.

On Tuesday, more than 100 civilians were reportedly killed and 500 others -- mostly children -- were injured in an attack carried out by the Assad regime warplanes in the town of Khan Shaykhun, Idlib province.

The Syrian regime has denied that it targeted the area with chemical weapons.

Last year, a UN-appointed investigation panel found that chemical weapons were used by Syrian regime forces in 2014 and 2015. No punitive measures were taken, however.