European Parliament bans senior Syrian minister

By Hasan Esen

BRUSSELS (AA) - The European Parliament on Friday banned a top Syrian official from attending an event scheduled for Monday.

Syria's Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister Ayman Soussan was banned in reaction to Tuesday's chemical attack in Idlib, which has been blamed on the Bashar al-Assad regime.

European Parliament spokesman Jaume Duch said President Antonio Tajani took the decision following the "last chemical weapon attack and developments after".

Soussan had been due to attend the April 10 conference as a speaker.

On Tuesday, more than 100 civilians were reportedly killed and 500 others -- mostly children -- were injured in the town of Khan Shaykhun, according to the Syrian opposition government's health minister, Firas Jundi.

On Friday, the U.S. fired 59 Tomahawk missiles at a Syrian military air base American officials believe was used to carry out the deadly chemical attack, the Pentagon confirmed.

The Syrian regime has denied allegations it had used chemical weapons.