'US struck Syria when it had chance at peace'

The US and its allies delivered a military strike against Syria precisely at the moment when the country received a chance for a peaceful future, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said.

"Those behind it lay claim to moral leadership in this world and declare their exclusiveness and uniqueness," TASS news agency quoted Zakharova as saying in a Facebook post late Friday night.

"In fact, it takes a very peculiar kind of uniqueness to attack Syria's capital at a time when the country has received a chance for peace at last".

On Friday night, the US, France and the UK launched coordinated strikes in Syria as President Donald Trump sought to "punish" his Syrian counterpart Bashar al-Assad for a suspected chemical attack in Douma, Eastern Ghouta, that killed over 70 people.

The strikes targeted three facilities associated with Syria's chemical weapons arsenal, including a scientific research facility around Damascus, a chemical weapons storage facility around Homs alleged to be used for sarin gas and a nearby command post, according to the Pentagon.

Immediately after the attack, Russia's ambassador in Washington Anatoly Antonov issued a statement saying: "The worst apprehensions have come true. Our warnings have been left unheard," TASS news agency reported.

"A pre-designed scenario is being implemented. Again we're being threatened. We warned that such actions will not be left without consequences.

"Insulting the President of Russia is unacceptable and inadmissible. The US, possessor of the biggest arsenal of chemical weapons, has no moral right to blame other countries," Antonov added.

The US Department of State has not commented if Russia had been notified over the strikes.

A department official told TASS that nothing could be said at this point.

--IANS

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