Canada supports U.S. attack on Syrian airbase

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau Friday reaffirmed its support to the United States to take action to degrade Syria's ability to conduct chemical weapons attacks.

The Prime Minister Office of Canada issued an announcement, saying that Trudeau made the remarks when he spoke with U.S. President Donald Trump by phone on the situation in Syria.

The announcement said Trudeau reaffirmed that "Canada fully supports the United States' limited and focused action to degrade the Syrian regime's ability to conduct chemical weapons attacks."

The two leaders were in agreement that the repugnant chemical attacks cannot be permitted to continue with impunity. They also committed to continuing to seek a political solution to end the crisis in Syria, said the announcement.

Early Friday, Trudeau issued a statement on Syria, saying this week's attack in southern Idlib and the suffering of Syrians is a war crime and is unacceptable. Canada condemns all uses of chemical weapons.

"President Assad's use of chemical weapons and the crimes the Syrian regime has committed against its own people cannot be ignored. These gruesome attacks cannot be permitted to continue operating with impunity. Canada will continue to support diplomatic efforts to resolve the crisis in Syria," the Canadian prime minister said in the statement.

The United States Thursday fired dozens of cruise missiles at a government-controlled airbase in Syria in response to a suspected chemical weapons attack on a rebel-held town that killed scores of civilians, including children.

The Russian government has condemned missile strikes by the U.S. on a Syrian airbase, saying Washington's move as "aggression against sovereign state in violation of international law." Endit