"The members of the Security Council condemn in the strongest terms the shelling by the Syrian armed forces," a statement issued by the top UN body said.
United Nations (ANTARA News/AFP) - The UN Security Council condemned Syria "in the strongest terms" Thursday for its deadly cross-border shelling of Turkey.

Ankara had demanded strong Security Council action after Syrian fire killed five Turkish women and children on Wednesday, prompting retaliatory Turkish strikes on a military position in Syria that reportedly killed several soldiers.

"The members of the Security Council condemn in the strongest terms the shelling by the Syrian armed forces," a statement issued by the top UN body said.

The statement, which is less strong than a full council resolution, was issued only after hours of haggling between Turkey`s Western allies and Russia, long a backer of the Syrian government.

The text also urges "restraint." Guatemala`s Ambassador to the United Nations Gert Rosenthal, the current council president, said this applies to both Syria and Turkey.

Nearly all of the strongly worded message, however, is aimed at Syria.

Saying the shelling "highlighted the grave impact the crisis in Syria has on the security of its neighbors and on regional peace," the Security Council "demanded that such violations of international law stop immediately and are not repeated."(*)

Editor: Heru Purwanto
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