Outrage as Syria ‘chemical attack’ kills dozens in rebel-held town

KHAN SHEIKHUN, Syria: The death toll from a suspected chemical weapons attack on a rebel- held Syrian town has risen to 72, 20 of them children, a monitoring group said yesterday.

“There were also 17 women among the dead and the death toll could rise further because there are people missing,” the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.

Syria’s opposition blamed President Bashar al-Assad’s forces, saying the attack cast doubt on the future of peace talks.

The army denied any involvement in a statement blaming “terrorist groups” for using “chemical and toxic substances”. chemical attacks since Syria’s civil war began six years ago.

The incident brought swift international condemnation, with the United States, France and Britain presenting a draft resolution to the UN Security Council demanding a full investigation.

The Tahrir al- Sham rebel alliance, which includes AlQaeda’s former affiliate, the Fateh al- Sham Front, vowed to avenge the deaths, calling on fighters to ‘ignite the fronts’.

Washington condemned what it called a “reprehensible” attack by Assad’s forces and US officials said his allies Russia and Iran must bring the dictator to heel.

“While we continue to monitor the terrible situation, it is clear that this is how Bashar al-Assad operates: with brutal, unabashed barbarism,” Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said.

UN envoy Staffan de Mistura said the attack was believed to be chemical and launched from the air, adding there should be a “clear identification of responsibilities and accountability”.

The Observatory said the attack on a residential part of Khan Sheikhun came early on Tuesday, when a warplane carried out strikes that released “toxic gas”.

As well as those killed, at least 160 people were injured, it said, and many died even after arriving at medical facilities.

The monitor could not confirm the nature of the gas, but said the attack was probably carried out by government warplanes.

“We ran inside the houses and saw whole families just dead in their beds,” resident Abu Mustafa said.

“Children, women, old people dead in the streets.” — AFP

(From left) Kuwait Foreign Minister Sabah Al Khalid Al Sabah, Lebanese Prime Minister Saad al-Hariri, United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres and European Union foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini observe a minute of silence in respect...