VZCZCXRO5653
OO RUEHAG RUEHDF RUEHIK RUEHLZ RUEHROV
DE RUEHDM #0745 3011405
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 271405Z OCT 08
FM AMEMBASSY DAMASCUS
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 5484
RUEHGB/AMEMBASSY BAGHDAD IMMEDIATE 0945
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON IMMEDIATE 0460
RUEHDI/AMCONSUL DUBAI IMMEDIATE 0218
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC IMMEDIATE
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC IMMEDIATE
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC IMMEDIATE
RHMFISS/CDR USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL IMMEDIATE
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC IMMEDIATE
INFO RUCNNAF/NORTH AF NEA AND SOUTH ASIAN COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE
RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE
RUEHXK/ARAB ISRAELI COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE
UNCLAS DAMASCUS 000745
DEPARTMENT FOR SES-O, NEA/ELA, NEA/PPD, PA, INR/R/MR, IIP/G/NEA-SA,
LONDON FOR SREEBNY, DUBAI FOR PELLETIER, BEIRUT FOR SISON AND GRANT
SENSITIVE, SIPDIS
E.O.12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV KPAO PHUM PREL SA SY
SUBJECT: SARG CONDEMNATION OF ALLEGED U.S. MILITARY STRIKE IN ABU
KAMAL
REF: DAMASCUS 741
1. [SBU] As reported reftel, Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs
Faisal Miqdad passed Charge a copy of the Ministry's press release
regarding the alleged U.S. military operation in eastern Syria that
purportedly killed eight Syrian civilians. An Embassy translation
follows.
2. [SBU] Begin text:
Syrian Arab Republic
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Office of the Vice Minister
To the Syrian News Agency (SANA), for distribution
An official source announced the following:
Four U.S. helicopters coming from Iraq today violated Syrian
airspace in the area of Abu Kamal at the Sakkariya farm. The
helicopters targeted a civilian building which lead to the deaths of
citizen Daoud Mohammed Al Abdullah and his four children, citizen
Ahmad Khalifa and citizen Ali Abbas Hassan and his wife and the
injury of another citizen. The American helicopters then returned
to Iraq.
Syria condemns this aggressive act and holds the U.S. forces
responsible for this aggression and for all that proceeds from it.
Syria also demands that the Iraqi government take responsibility and
launch an investigation immediately into this grave violation.
Syria also demands that the Iraqi government prevent/forbid the use
of Iraqi territory for aggression against Syria.
The Vice Foreign Minister called in the U.S. Charge d'Affaires in
Damascus and informed her of Syria's protest and condemnation of
this grave attack and that it holds the U.S. Administration
completely responsible for it. The Iraqi Charge d'Affaires was also
called in to the Foreign Ministry for the same purpose.
End Text.
CONNELLY