UN condemns Turkey shelling of Syria

The UN Security Council overcame deep divisions to unanimously approve a statement condemning Syria’s shelling of a Turkish town that killed five women and children “in the strongest terms”.

Council members managed to bridge differences between the strong statement demanded by the United States and its Western supporters and backed by their Nato ally Turkey, and a weaker text pushed by Russia, Syria’s most important ally, after negotiations that began late on Wednesday and continued through to today.