Syrian bishop decries French bombing, says West does not consider impact on civilians

September 29, 2015

Responding to French air strikes against Islamic State forces in Syria, a Catholic bishop has denounced the military action as “another episode in the series of inconsiderate actions and choices made by the Western powers.”

Bishop Georges Abou Khazen, the Latin-rite vicar of Aleppo, told the Fides news agency that the French bombing raids were the latest result of “senseless and contradictory guidelines.” Although the French campaign is intended to weaken the Islamic State, he said, the Islamic State itself “would never have assumed such force unless it had support and funding from the Countries of the area more aligned with the West.”

The Syrian bishop said that the bombing has disrupted a relatively peaceful interval in Aleppo, where the people have endured months of bloodshed and privation. He charged that Western powers have intervened in Syria without a clear understanding of the situation and without regard to the welfare of the country’s people. 

 

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Further information:

• Bishop Abou Khazen: the choices of the West on the Syrian conflict continue to be inconsiderate (Fides)