- Sputnik International
World
Get the latest news from around the world, live coverage, off-beat stories, features and analysis.

Ash Sha’irat Civilians Talk About US Missile Attack on Nearby Airfield

© Sputnik / Mikhail Voskresenskiy / Go to the mediabankAftermath of the US missile attack on a Syrian military airbase
Aftermath of the US missile attack on a Syrian military airbase - Sputnik International
Subscribe
A Sputnik correspondent visited a rural hospital in Ash Sha’irat and met with the locals, who showed him the damage caused by US missile strike.

ASH SHA'IRAT (Syria) (Sputnik) — The consequences of the US missile strike on the Syrian Ash Sha’irat airfield spread far beyond the military facility to the surrounding settlements, killing and injuring civilians who were calmly sleeping at their homes.

A Sputnik correspondent visited a rural hospital in Ash Sha’irat and met with the locals, who showed him the damage caused by US missile strike.

On Thursday night, the United States launched 59 Tomahawk cruise missiles at the military airfield in Ash Sha’irat. The strike destroyed eight hangars and all military equipment within, but spared several fighter jets and left the runway mostly intact. US President Donald Trump said that the attack was a response to the alleged chemical weapon use in Syria's Idlib province on Tuesday, which resulted in death of over 80 people, an incident which Washington blames on the Syrian government.

Aftermath of the US missile attack on a Syrian military airbase - Sputnik International
Syrian Government Sure to React to US Sha’irat Airfield Strike - Ambassador
There has not yet been a consensus on the casualty count for the attack, which took place with no prior warning or consultations of any party involved in the Syrian crisis settlement talks. According to Homs Governer Talal Barazi, the missile hits claimed the lives of at least seven people, including two civilians. The Russian Defense Ministry said that the attack left four Syrian servicemen killed, two missing and six suffering severe injuries from the subsequent fire. However, the Syrian army said that a total of 10 people were killed. The attack also damaged a warehouse, an educational building, a canteen, six MiG-23 fighter jets and a radar station, according to the Russian Defense Ministry.

HORROR NIGHT

"That night was scary as hell, it seemed the house was shaking and I was afraid that the ceiling would fall down on me," a 14-year old boy said.

Director of the local school Khodr added that the same occurred in other villages.

"Yes, everyone was scared and the same situation was in the neighboring villages. They might strike again. But we have been living in war for six years and Americans will not make us leave our land. And if Trump wants to help the Syrian people, he should better leave Syria alone and take his terrorists back," Khodr said.

US STRIKES' ECHO

"A school was damaged in our village, the rural hospital received first victims, many houses were damaged, residents are scared as another strike may happen," the village's elder Mohammad Rostom said.

In this photo provided by the U.S. Navy, the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Ross (DDG 71) departs Rota, Spain, on March 29, 2017. - Sputnik International
US Failed to Warn Syria of Strike on Sha'irat Airfield in Homs - General Staff
Director Khodr took the Sputnik reporter to the half-ruined school.

"Look, a missile dropped straight near the school entrance. All the windows are shattered. Window frames popped out at my house, injuring my daughter. Thank God, the scratches are not deep, there was more fear. Our neighbor got ears bleeding, she was taken by ambulance to Homs," the director says, while showing to the journalists damaged school classes.

He added that the only good thing was that the strikes took place in the night time, when no pupils were at the school.

On the way out of the school the Sputnik correspondent met local children, who suggested showing him other places damaged by the strikes.

Numerous houses and gardens contained signs of the US attack, with multiple metal fragments and shell craters laying everywhere, windows shattered.

"Even this morning there were an unexploded rocket broken in half. The military came and took it away," an old man said, pointing at the trench near one of the houses.

HOSPITAL

The rural hospital turned out to be rather small, the staff explained that it was private but it had all necessary medicament needed for the assistance.

"There were enough medicament and hands. The delivery of the wounded started almost immediately after the attack on the base. A total of 22 people, and seven people from our village who died. The villagers came to donate blood, which was highly needed," one of the hospital staff said.

This Oct. 7, 2016 satellite image released by the U.S. Department of Defense shows Shayrat air base in Syria. The United States blasted a Syrian air base with a barrage of cruise missiles on Friday, April 7, 2017 in fiery retaliation for this week's gruesome chemical weapons attack against civilians. - Sputnik International
Syrian Sha'irat Airbase Heavily Damaged After US Strike, All Planes Out of Order
He adds that a number of ambulances arrived to the hospital from Homs, some were sent by the Red Crescent and the civil defense.

A third of the admitted patients were shocked and very scared, and suffered from choking, pulled muscles, a light concussion and other symptoms.

"We were especially worried for those who had lacerations, but they were delivered in time to the city hospital. The bodies of those killed were immediately taken to Homs," the paramedic said.

AIRFIELD

The Sputnik correspondent headed to the partially destroyed airfield, the main target of the US strikes.

Several soldiers were cleaning the territory in front of the hangar "H" while the technical staff was inspecting an aircraft.

"It's all right. Take the aircraft on the lane and take off," a senior officer said via radio.

A SU-22 aircraft started moving and after receiving a permission it took off. The officers started applauding, while the pilot greeted them flying over at low altitude before disappeared over the horizon.

The general reported to the headquarters that the airbase was ready to perform the tasks and in less than an hour another aircraft took off.

Newsfeed
0
To participate in the discussion
log in or register
loader
Chats
Заголовок открываемого материала