Trump blames Assad forces for chemical weapons attack

Dozens dead including 11 children after deadly offensive

A chemical weapons attack in an opposition-held town in northern Syria yesterday killed dozens of people, including children.

The Trump administration blamed the Syrian government for the attack, one of the deadliest in years, and said Syria’s patrons, Russia and Iran, bore “great moral responsibility” for the deaths.

The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said at least 58 people died, including 11 children, in the early morning attack in the town of Khan Sheikhoun, which witnesses said was carried out by Sukhoi jets operated by the Russian and Syrian governments.

Videos from the scene showed volunteer medics using fire hoses to wash the chemicals from victims’ bodies.

Haunting images of lifeless children piled in heaps reflected the magnitude of the attack.

The attack drew swift condemnation from world leaders, including President Donald Trump, who denounced it as a “heinous” act that “cannot be ignored by the civilised world”.

In a statement, Mr Trump also blamed former President Barack Obama for “weakness” in failing to respond aggressively after the 2013 attack.

And he left it to his top diplomat, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, to assign at least some blame to Russia and Iran, Assad’s most powerful allies.

Mr Tillerson called on both countries to use their influence over Assad to prevent future chemical weapons attacks, and noted Russia’s and Iran’s roles in helping broker a ceasefire through diplomatic talks in the Kazakh capital, Astana.

Picture: AP. A Syrian man carries a child following the horrific attack.