US defence secretary: Syria has dispersed its warplanes in recent days
Tel Aviv — On Friday, US defence secretary Jim Mattis said that Syria had dispersed its warplanes in recent days and retained chemical weapons, an issue that would have to be taken up diplomatically. The US launched dozens of missiles earlier this month against a Syrian air base in response to a chemical attack that killed 90 people, including 30 children. It says the Syrian government launched the attack from the Shayrat air base. The Pentagon has said that the strike damaged or destroyed about 20% of the Syrian military’s operational aircraft. During a press conference alongside his Israeli counterpart, Mattis was asked whether the Syrian military had moved warplanes to a Russian base in Latakia. "They have dispersed their aircraft, no doubt. They have dispersed their aircraft in recent days," Mattis said. Mattis also reiterated that the US believed Syria had retained some chemical weapons. "The bottom line is, I can say authoritatively, they have retained some [chemical weapons]....
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