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| Boris Johnson 'backs air strikes' against Assad regime if has used chemical weapons in Eastern Ghouta | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Boris Johnson appeared to back air strikes against the Assad regime if it has used chemical weapons in rebel-held eastern Ghouta, saying the West must not “stand idly by”. | |
| Speaking in the Commons, the Foreign Secretary argued there was “no military solution that we can impose” to bring peace to war-torn Syria. | Speaking in the Commons, the Foreign Secretary argued there was “no military solution that we can impose” to bring peace to war-torn Syria. |
| But Mr Johnson agreed there was a case for “limited strikes” if there was “incontrovertible evidence of further use of chemical weapons by the Assad regime or their supporters”. | But Mr Johnson agreed there was a case for “limited strikes” if there was “incontrovertible evidence of further use of chemical weapons by the Assad regime or their supporters”. |
| He said many people believed the US “did the right thing” when it launched a cruise missile attack on a Syrian airfield’ last April, in response to chemical weapon use. | |
| “I will certainly hope that the West does not stand idly by”, Mr Johnson told MPs. | |
| The urgent question came after a week in which Syria’s army and its allies have inflicted one of the heaviest bombardments of the seven-year war on eastern Ghouta, an enclave outside Damascus, killing hundreds. | The urgent question came after a week in which Syria’s army and its allies have inflicted one of the heaviest bombardments of the seven-year war on eastern Ghouta, an enclave outside Damascus, killing hundreds. |
| Local doctors and monitors have said a suspected chlorine attack in the rebel-held area left 18 people injured on Sunday evening. | Local doctors and monitors have said a suspected chlorine attack in the rebel-held area left 18 people injured on Sunday evening. |
| The week-long carnage in the area has killed more than 500 people in airstrikes and shelling by forces loyal to Assad. | |
| A United Nations security council resolution was approved unanimously on Saturday, calling for a month-long ceasefire “without delay”, but the killing continued. | |
| On those attacks, Mr Johnson said: “The House will have noted the disturbing reports of use of chlorine gas. | |
| "I call for these reports to be fully investigated and for anyone held responsible for using chemical weapons in Syria to be held accountable.” | |
| But, when it was pointed out that both Angela Merkel and Emmanuel Macron have contacted Vladimir Putin, Mr Johnson was unable to say if Theresa May had also had a “recent” conversation. | |
| More follows… | More follows… |