Airforce pilots ready for suicide attacks in Syria

Damascus, Aug 27 (IANS/AKI) Around 10 Syrian Air Force pilots are reportedly willing to carry out Japanese World War-II Kamikaze-style suicide attacks on enemy targets in the event of an attack by the US and its allies.

"We, soldiers from this nation, who sacrifice ourselves for its dignity and pride with our souls and our blood, are ready to carry out suicide attacks," the pilots wrote in a letter quoted by the 'Syriasteps' website Monday.

The website is considered close to Syrian government intelligence services.

"We will conduct these attacks at sea, in the air or on the ground, wherever the enemy forces are located," it added.

The missive was written by pilots from the Syrian Martyr Eagles Squadron to the Syrian armed forces general command, the website said.

Over 100,000 people have been killed in the conflicts between rebels and forces loyal to Syria's ousted president Bashar al-Assad since it began in March 2011, according to the United Nations.

Western politicians have begun to suggest taking action outside of the UN system since last Wednesday's suspected chemical attacks in the Syrian capital, Damascus, in which hundreds died.

The US said there was little doubt on the use of chemical weapons by the Syrian forces in the attacks, which reportedly killed more than 300 people in rebel-held areas.

--IANS/AKI

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