Syria protests to US over Iraq border incident

Syria said today it had protested to Washington about what US officials have described as a military strike near the Iraq-Syrian…

Syria said today it had protested to Washington about what US officials have described as a military strike near the Iraq-Syrian border last week in which several Syrian border guards were wounded.

In Damascus's first official reaction, the Syrian Arab News Agency said Syria had demanded Washington "return...the wounded soldiers to continue their treatment at a Syrian hospital to avoid any misunderstanding that might lead to an escalation that both sides do not desire".

The United States said yesterday it was discussing with Syria how to return five Syrian border guards wounded when US special forces attacked a convoy believed to be carrying aides of toppled Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein. Three of the guards were still being treated for their wounds, US officials said.