Syria denies being behind gas attack
SYRIA’S regime and Russia hit back yesterday at accusations that Damascus was behind a deadly chemical weapons attack, as pressure built for international action over what Washington called an affront to humanity.
France said it was determined to pursue a UN Security Council resolution to investigate dozens of civilian deaths in a northwestern Syria town, which Turkey blamed on a chemical attack by the Damascus government.
At least 86 people were killed early on Tuesday in rebel-held Khan Sheikhun, and dozens more have received treatment for convulsions, breathing problems and foaming at the mouth.
World powers have pointed the finger at the government of Bashar al-Assad, but Foreign Minister Walid Muallem repeated the government’s denial yesterday.
“The Syrian army has not, did not and will not use this kind of weapons – not just against our own people, but even against the terrorists that attack our civilians with their mortar rounds,” he said.
Long-time ally Russia described the events in Khan Sheikhun as a monstrous crime but said there was no realistic, verified information.
“Any data that the American side or our colleagues in other countries could have cannot be based on objective materials or evidence,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.
At least 32 people were transferred across the border into Turkey for treatment, and Ankara said postmortems performed on three people who died in Turkish hospitals confirmed chemical weapons had been used.
“This scientific investigation also confirms that Assad used chemical weapons,” Justice Minister Bekir Bozdag told Turkish state media.
The town of Khan Sheikhun was reeling on Wednesday, with dead animals lying in the streets and residents shell-shocked after watching their entire families die.
“Nineteen members of my family were killed,” 28-year-old Abdulhamid said in the town, surrounded by mourning relatives.
“We put some masks on but it didn’t do anything. People just started falling to the ground.”
Abdulhamid lost his twin children and wife in the attack. After an emergency session of the UN Security Council on Wednesday, Western diplomats were expected to push for a vote as early as yesterday on a resolution demanding an investigation of the suspected attack.
French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault said the resolution, presented by Britain, France and the United States, remained a priority.
“These crimes must not go unpunished,” he said.
“Up to now every time we have presented a resolution, there has been a veto by Russia and sometimes by China, but we must cooperate because we need to stop this massacre.”
Syria officially relinquished its chemical arsenal in 2013 after it was accused of an attack outside Damascus that killed hundreds.