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US Syria embassy closes for day Syrians stage mass anti-US rally
(40 minutes later)
The US embassy in Damascus has said it will close on Thursday due to increased security concerns in the wake of a raid that Syria says killed eight people. Thousands of people are gathering in Damascus for a mass demonstration against an alleged US raid on a Syrian village which killed eight people.
Reports from Syria say a demonstration is planned to take place in protest against Sunday's raid. Riot police, armed with batons and shields, have surrounded the US embassy in Damascus, which has closed due to "increased security concerns".
The US State Department and the White House have refused to confirm, deny or comment on the incident. The US state department and the White House have refused to confirm, deny or comment on the alleged attack.
Unnamed US officials said the target of the attack was the leader of a network smuggling foreign fighters into Iraq. The Syrian government has demanded an apology from Washington.
Iraq has said it will share the results of its own investigation into the raid near Abu Kamal, some 8km (five miles) north of Iraq's border with Syria. It also threatened to cut off co-operation on Iraqi border security if the US carries out any more raids on Syrian territory.
Damascus denies it allows any traffic of foreign fighters across the border and has demanded an apology from the US. Unnamed US officials said the target of the attack was the leader of a network with links to al-Qaeda, smuggling foreign fighters into Iraq.
Damascus said it was doing all it could to stem any traffic of foreign fighters across the long and porous border.
Iraq has said it will share the results of its own investigation into the raid near Abu Kamal, some eight kilometres (five miles) north of Iraq's border with Syria.
Victims' angerVictims' anger
"The US Embassy will be closed on 30 October due to past demonstrations which resulted in violence and significant damage to US facilities and other embassies," the embassy said on its website. Thousands of people have taken to the streets of Damascus, waving flags and carrying banners reading "No to American terrorism" and "America the sponsor of destruction and wars".
It also said a US school would close temporarily, and warned US citizens to be vigilant. Meanwhile riot police have cordoned off the embassy and an adjacent US residence building.
class="" href="/1/hi/world/middle_east/7698820.stm">Fury sweeps Syria over raid class="" href="/1/hi/world/middle_east/7695913.stm">Profile: Abu Ghadiya class="" href="/1/hi/world/middle_east/7694301.stm">Syria fears damage to Europe ties Advertisement
BBC correspondent Paul Wood at the scene of the alleged US air assault
The embassy announced it would close on Thursday "due to past demonstrations which resulted in violence and significant damage to US facilities and other embassies".
It also said a US school would close temporarily, and warned US citizens to avoid the area.
The school and a cultural centre linked to the embassy have continued to operate despite an order by Damascus for them to shut.The school and a cultural centre linked to the embassy have continued to operate despite an order by Damascus for them to shut.
Five of those killed in the raid were from the same family, and the BBC's Paul Wood has spoken to the woman who lost her husband and four sons at the scene of the reported raid. class="" href="/1/hi/world/middle_east/7698820.stm">Fury sweeps Syria over raid class="" href="/1/hi/world/middle_east/7695913.stm">Profile: Abu Ghadiya class="" href="/1/hi/world/middle_east/7694301.stm">Syria fears damage to Europe ties
Five of those killed in the raid on Sunday were from the same family, and the BBC's Paul Wood spoke to the woman who lost her husband and four sons at the scene of the reported raid.
She was being treated in a Syrian hospital for injuries she said she received during the attack.She was being treated in a Syrian hospital for injuries she said she received during the attack.
"I went outside to get my son and the Americans shot me," she said. "I was screaming in terror.""I went outside to get my son and the Americans shot me," she said. "I was screaming in terror."
She said all the men were working on the house that was in the compound where the Americans landed, and denied any link between them and al-Qaeda.She said all the men were working on the house that was in the compound where the Americans landed, and denied any link between them and al-Qaeda.
Our correspondent says although there were Syrian officials present and those interviewed were most likely following the official line, their underlying anger seemed genuine.Our correspondent says although there were Syrian officials present and those interviewed were most likely following the official line, their underlying anger seemed genuine.
'Totally unjustified''Totally unjustified'
But unnamed US officials have said it killed Iraqi Abu Ghadiya, a former lieutenant of Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, the al-Qaeda in Iraq leader who was killed in 2006.But unnamed US officials have said it killed Iraqi Abu Ghadiya, a former lieutenant of Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, the al-Qaeda in Iraq leader who was killed in 2006.
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The US blamed him for bringing thousands of fighters across the border.The US blamed him for bringing thousands of fighters across the border.
Syrian foreign minister Walid Muallem denied the US claims, calling them "totally unjustified". Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Muallem denied the US claims, calling them "totally unjustified".
He branded the attack a "war crime attempt" and said it had claimed the lives of civilians.He branded the attack a "war crime attempt" and said it had claimed the lives of civilians.
Iraq has also condemned the unconfirmed helicopter strikes.Iraq has also condemned the unconfirmed helicopter strikes.
"The Iraqi government rejects the US helicopter strike on Syrian territory, considering that Iraq's constitution does not allow its land to be a base for launching attacks on neighbouring countries," government spokesman Ali al-Dabbagh said on Tuesday."The Iraqi government rejects the US helicopter strike on Syrian territory, considering that Iraq's constitution does not allow its land to be a base for launching attacks on neighbouring countries," government spokesman Ali al-Dabbagh said on Tuesday.
But he urged Damascus to prevent groups using Syrian territory for "training and sending terrorists for attacks on Iraq and its people".But he urged Damascus to prevent groups using Syrian territory for "training and sending terrorists for attacks on Iraq and its people".
If confirmed, Sunday's strike would be the first US attack in Syria since the US-led invasion of Iraq in 2003.If confirmed, Sunday's strike would be the first US attack in Syria since the US-led invasion of Iraq in 2003.