The Church in Wales has called for a concerted diplomatic approach instead of military intervention in response to the suspected chemical attack in Douma, Syria.
An emergency motion passed at a meeting of the Church in Wales's governing body noted 'with alarm the return to the international agenda of the possibility of heavy bombardment and violent intervention in the situation in Syria'.
While condemning the use of chemical weapons, the motion said the church 'is mindful of the complexities of the situation which rule out simplistic answers'.
Ant it called upon the UK government to 'prioritise concerted diplomatic action to secure more peaceful and consensual international responses rather than an escalation of violence'.
The Bishop of St Asaph, Gregory Cameron, who brought the motion, said: 'I am delighted that governing body is able to add its voice to this important issue to call for peace and justice in the Middle East. The situation is deeply complex but a rush to flex military muscles is not, in my opinion, a wise reaction.
'We are asking all Christians and people of faith to hold Syria in their prayers at this tense time.'
The call for the diplomatic route came as the French president Emmanuel Macron claimed that he has 'proof' that the Syrian government attacked the town of Douma with chemical weapons last weekend.
He added that he would decide 'in due course' whether to respond with air strikes.
In Russia, which is Syria's key ally, a Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov urged against 'any steps which could lead to an escalation of tensions'.
Meanwhile Donald Trump, who said on Wednesday that missiles were 'coming' and warned Russia to 'get ready', today tweeted that he 'never said when'.
