Macron: Why France, Allies Attacked Syria

• Said red line was crossed

Senator Iroegbu in Abuja

The President of France, Emmanuel Macron has explained that the French, British and American attacks against Syria early morning of Saturday was in response to the alleged use of chemical weapons by the President Bashar Assad regime.

Macron, in a statement made available yesterday by the French Embassy in Abuja, said Assad crossed the red line with the use of chemical weapons.

Part of the statement read: “Dozens of men, women and children were massacred in Douma on Saturday, 7 April using chemical weapons, in total violation of international law and United Nations Security Council resolutions.

“There is no doubt as to the facts and to the responsibility of the Syrian regime. The red line declared by France in May 2017 has been crossed.” “Tonight, I have therefore ordered the French armed forces to intervene, as part of an international operation conducted in coalition with the United States of America and the United Kingdom against the clandestine chemical weapons arsenal of the Syrian regime.

“Our response has been limited to the Syrian regime’s facilities enabling the production and employment of chemical weapons.”
The French President said France and Western powers cannot tolerate the normalisation of the employment of chemical weapons, which is an immediate danger to the Syrian people and to our collective security.

According to him, that is the meaning of the initiatives constantly promoted by France at the United Nations Security Council.
Macron stressed that France and its partners would continue their efforts at the United Nations to enable the creation of an international mechanism to establish responsibility, prevent impunity and obstruct any temptation on the part of the Syrian regime to repeat these acts.

He said since May 2017, France’s priorities in Syria have been constant: finishing the fight against Daesh, enabling humanitarian assistance to civilian populations, and triggering collective momentum to bring about a peaceful settlement of the conflict so that peace can return to Syria and to ensure the region’s stability.

He vowed to pursue these priorities with determination in the coming days and weeks.
He said in accordance with Article 35, paragraph 2 of the French Constitution, Parliament will be informed and a parliamentary debate will be organised following this decision to order the intervention of our armed forces abroad.