美英法聯合空襲敘利亞

Loud explosions were heard and plumes of smoke were seen rising from Damascus, capital of Syria, before daybreak on April 14.

4月14日破曉時分，巨大的爆炸聲響起，敘利亞的首都大馬士革瀰漫着縷縷硝煙。

The United States, Britain and France carried out a wave of joint airstrikes on Syrian military facilities, without UN authorization.

在未獲得聯合國授權動武的情況下，美英法三國對敘利亞軍事設施發動空襲。

US President Donald Trump announced the military operation on April 13, saying it was intended to deter the Syrian Government, which the US suspects carried out a chemical weapon attack on April 7. It is universally acknowledged that all use of chemical weapons should be punished.

4月13日，美國總統特朗普宣佈這場軍事行動時表示，此次行動意在震懾敘利亞政府。此前，美國懷疑敘政府軍4月7日使用了化學武器襲擊無辜平民。而國際公認使用化學武器將受到懲罰。

However, the Syrian government denied it had used chemical weapons, saying the accusation had been used as an excuse to attack the country. It called on the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons to investigate the alleged attack.

然而，敘利亞政府否認使用了化學武器，稱美英法三國以此爲藉口對敘利亞實施軍事打擊。敘方已正式邀請禁止化學武器組織，對據稱發生在那裏的化學武器襲擊事件展開調查。

Russian President Vladimir Putin also called the strike “an act of aggression” against a sovereign state. In a statement, he said Russia strongly condemned it.

俄羅斯總統普京也表態稱，這是針對主權國家實施的“侵略行爲”。在一份聲明中，他表示俄羅斯強烈譴責這一行爲。

On April 14, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying urged the relevant parties to return to the framework of international law and resolve the issue through dialogue.

4月14日，中國外交部發言人華春瑩敦促有關方面回到國際法框架內，通過對話協商解決問題。

She said that China believes a comprehensive, impartial and objective investigation should be carried out to reach a reliable conclusion. “Yet, before that, a prejudgment should not be made,” she said.

華春瑩說，中方認爲，應對敘利亞疑似化武襲擊事件進行全面、公正、客觀調查，得出經得起歷史檢驗的可靠結論。“在此之前，各方不能預斷結果，”她說道。

The United Nations Security Council on the same day held an emergency meeting at Russia’s request, but failed to approve a resolution condemning the bombing.

聯合國安理會同日應俄羅斯要求召開緊急會議，但未通過旨在譴責對敘軍事打擊的決議草案。

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said there is no military solution, only a political one. “I urge all member states to show restraint in these dangerous circumstances and to avoid any acts that could escalate matters and worsen the suffering of the Syrian people,” he said.

聯合國祕書長古特雷斯表示，必須明確軍事手段沒有出路，必須通過政治途徑加以解決。“我呼籲所有會員國在此危急狀況下保持克制，避免任何可能使局勢升級並使敘利亞人民遭受更多苦難的行爲,”他說道。

In the US, a series of protests were held in cities against the airstrikes on Syria. On April 14, many anti-war protesters gathered outside the White House, chanting “Hands off Syria”, holding banners featuring slogans such as “No US War on Syria” and “Bombing Syria Doesn’t Protect People. It Kills Them.”

在美國，多個城市爆發一系列示威活動，抗議對敘軍事打擊。4月14日，大批反戰的抗議者聚集在白宮外，反覆高呼“別插手敘利亞”，並手持上面印有“敘利亞不要戰爭”、“轟炸敘利亞不是保護百姓，是濫殺無辜”等標語的橫幅。

“The most urgent task now is to hold a comprehensive, objective and impartial investigation of the alleged chemical weapon attack, not to show who has a bigger gun,” commented Xinhua News Agency.

“當務之急是對有關事件展開全面、客觀、公正調查，而不是展示誰有更強大的武力，”新華社評論道。

“The UN should play a central role in that effort and all others should help to cool down the situation as soon as possible,” it added.

“聯合國應當發揮斡旋主渠道作用，有關各方應儘可能保持冷靜剋制，使緊張局勢緩和下來，”新華社補充道。