DHAKA: US Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said on Saturday that he would hold a vote on authorising US president Barack Obama to use limited military force against Syria no later than the week of September 9.

Reid said the Senate would hold public hearings on the issue next week with senior Obama administration officials, and would hold classified and unclassified briefings for senators throughout the week.

‘I believe the use of military force against Syria is both justified and necessary,’ Reid said in a statement, saying Syrian president Bashar Assad had committed ‘atrocities’ against civilians with a chemical weapons attack, reports The Jerusalem Post.

BDST: 1450 HRS, SEPT 01, 2013
RoR//BSK