Syria condemns U.S. assassination of senior Iranian commander

The Syrian Foreign Ministry on Friday issued a statement, condemning the U.S. assassination of Iranian Quds Force leader Qassem Soleimani in Iraq, according to the state news agency SANA.

The Syrian government condemns the "criminal, treacherous aggression" that led to the killing of Soleimani and Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, deputy chief of Iraq's paramilitary Hashd Shaabi forces.

It said the assassination constitutes a "dangerous escalation" to the situation in the region.

"This treacherous aggression is tantamount to the methods of criminal gangs and highlights again the responsibility of the United States about the destabilization of the region," the ministry said.

The Syrian ministry also accused the United States of igniting conflict in the region with the aim of enabling Israel to control the region.

Meanwhile, the ministry extended condolences to the peoples of Iraq and Iran for the killing of the two leaders.

The U.S. Department of Defense announced on Thursday night that U.S. forces had carried out a strike that killed Soleimani.