Egypt's Ministry of Foreign Affairs has released a statement over the US tomahawk-missile strikes against a Syrian government air base earlier on Friday. Friday's statement, released on the ministry's official Facebook page, stressed Cairo was monitoring with deep concern the dangerous repercussions of the Khan Shykhoun crisis that led to hundreds of deaths among innocents and its perilous impacts. "Egypt stresses the importance of averting Syria and the Middle East the risks of the escalating crisis to preserve safety of its people. It also sees the necessity to speed up the end of the military conflict in Syria to preserve the lives and capabilities of the Syrian people through the Syrian parties' commitment to an immediate cease-fire and returning to United Nations-sponsored negotiations," the statement read. The statement also called on the US and Russia to "act effectively on the basis of the international legitimacy resolutions and the capabilities of both countries to contain the conflict and reach a comprehensive and final solution to the Syrian crisis which has intensified over the last six years". The US missile attack targeted al-Shayrat military airport in Syria's Homs in response to an Assad regime alleged chemical attack on Khan Shykhoun village in the countryside of Idlib on Tuesday. The attack, which allegedly used sarin gas, left 86 persons, including 30 children, killed. According to a White House statement, 59 Tomahawk missiles were used in the strike. The US administration announced it had informed Russia, Saudi Arabia and the UAE of the date of the strikes. The strike has killed six pro-Assad personnel and wounded dozens, according to the Syrian army. US said the strike came after the UN Security Council failed to release a resolution condemning the carnage. This comes days after US ambassador to the UN, Nikkie Hallley stated that the removal of Assad was not a priority for the Trump administration. Trump also stated earlier this week that he sought a political solution to the crisis in Syria. Since 2011, Syria has been through a deadly civil war that killed tens of thousands and forced hundreds of thousands to flee the country.
