PM Abadi: Like Iraqi people Syrian nation fell victim to chemical weapons

Baghdad (BasNews) The use of chemical weapons in Syria is a “denounced crime” which the international community should investigate, said Iraqi Prime Minister Haidar al-Abadi in a phone call with the US Vice President Mike Pence.

According to a statement published on Saturday by PM’s media office on Facebook, in the phone call Abadi also said the people of Syria, just like their neighbors in the Kurdistan Region and Iraq, became victims of chemical bombardments.

Abadi referred to Tuesday’s attack against civilians in Khan Sheikhun of Syria, adding “we support the people of Syria.”

While the Iraqi PM denounces the use of chemical weapons in Syria, Iraqi Foreign Minister Ibrahim al-Jaafari questions the use of chemical agents by the Syrian regime and Iraqi VP Nouri al-Maliki decided the US strike against Homs in Syria, which is said to be carried out in response to Khan Sheikhun’s chemical bombardment.

The Syrian regime has denied using chemical weapons in the war against the opposition forces but the attack in Khan Sheikun, which claimed the lives of more than 100 civilians, triggered a strong response from the US.

Early on Friday morning some 59 Tomahawk cruise missiles were fired at a military base in Syria held by the regime forces.

Iran and Russia denounced the strike while many European countries backed it.