Turkey expels Syrian diplomats after Houla massacre

ISTANBUL

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Turkish authorities have asked all Syrian diplomats to leave the country in response to the recent Houla massacre, daily Hürriyet has reported.
 
The motive behind the decision was cited as the recent Houla massacre, where "110 innocent citizens, 50 of them children, were murdered."
 
"It is not a possibility to remain silent in the face of such an act, which constitutes a crime against humanity," a Foreign Ministry statement read. "It is the international community's common responsibility to react to this massacre in a unified voice."
 
The statement further referred to the Vienna Diplomatic Affairs Contract and asked Syrian diplomats to leave the country within 72 hours, starting from May 30.
 
Turkey's recent decision followed a series of similar actions by international powers. Several countries, including Germany, Italy, Spain, Australia, Britain and United States, have also expelled the Syrian diplomats in their countries following the massacre that took place May 25.