Trump takes advantage of Syria to pressure Russia: MP

CAIRO - 13 April 2018: MP Tarek Radwan, head of foreign relations parliamentary committee, described on Thursday that U.S. President Trump's threat to launch air strikes against the Syrian army as highly questionable amid the recent military victories against terrorist groups on Syrian territories.

In a statement issued by Radwan, he questioned whether if that announcement aimed to give a chance to terrorists “to take a breath” or whether it was some sort of cold war against Russia to pressure it indirectly, especially after the increase of Russian influence in the Middle East.

Trump warned Russia on Wednesday of imminent military action in Syria over a suspected poison gas attack, declaring that missiles "will be coming" and lambasting Moscow for standing by Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

Trump's tweet reacted to a warning from Russia that threatened that any U.S. missiles fired at Syria over the deadly assault on the rebel enclave of Douma near Damascus would be shot down and the launch sites targeted.

His comments raised the prospect of direct conflict over Syria for the first time between the two world powers backing opposing sides in the seven-year-old civil war, which has aggravated instability across the Middle East.

"Russia vows to shoot down any and all missiles fired at Syria. Get ready Russia, because they will be coming, nice and new and 'smart!'," Trump wrote on Twitter.

"You shouldn't be partners with a Gas Killing Animal who kills his people and enjoys it!" Trump tweeted, referring to Moscow's alliance with Assad.