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— The Syrian government has officially asked the United States to close the American Cultural Center in Damascus immediately and the American school in the capital by Nov. 6, the State Department said Wednesday.
The Syrian Foreign Ministry gave formal notice of the deadlines to Maura Connelly, the top U.S. diplomat in Damascus, after the government said Tuesday it would order both institutions closed in retaliation for a weekend American attack on alleged Iraqi militants inside Syrian territory, according to the department.
"The chief of protocol communicated the Syrian government's request that we close the cultural center immediately and that the Damascus Community School be closed on Nov. 6," said deputy State Department spokesman Robert Wood.
"We are looking at how to respond," he said, adding that in the meantime: "we expect the Syrian government to provide adequate security for the buildings in which the American Cultural Center and Damascus Community School are housed."
Earlier Wednesday, Syria hardened its stance against the U.S., threatening to cut off cooperation on Iraqi border security while demanding America apologize and promise not to repeat a deadly cross-border raid into its territory.
A massive protest against Sunday's raid that Syria said killed eight people in the eastern border community of Abu Kamal has been called for Thursday in Damascus.
The U.S. Embassy in Damascus has warned Americans to be vigilant.
