Syria condemns U.S. deadly airstrikes on civilian areas

DAMASCUS, Dec. 14 (Xinhua) -- The Syrian Foreign Ministry on Thursday condemned the U.S. airstrike that killed 23 civilians a day earlier in the eastern province of Deir al-Zour, state news agency SANA reported.

In a statement, the ministry said the "illegitimate" U.S.-led coalition committed an "appalling crime" against civilians when its warplanes struck the town of Jurthy al-Sharqi in the eastern countryside of Deir al-Zour.

The "new crime" comes at a time when the Syrian army defeated the Islamic State (IS) militants in key cities and areas in Deir al-Zour, it added.

Meanwhile, the ministry expressed dismay with the inaction of the UN Security Council, which has "failed to undertake any measure to stop the aggressions of the international coalition" on Syrian soil.

The statement is not the first by the Syrian Foreign Ministry, which has repeatedly condemned the airstrikes of the U.S.-led coalition on residential areas in the country.

The ministry also called on the international community to shoulder its responsibility and dissolve the U.S. coalition, which started its mission in Syria against IS militants in 2014. Enditem