SYRIA DENIES ALLEGATIONS OF MASS KILLINGS

The Syrian government on Tuesday “categorically” denied U.S. accusations of mass killings at a prison near Damascus, including the alleged execution of political opponents and burning the victims in a crematorium at the site.

The Foreign Ministry said the allegations are a “new Hollywood plot” to justify U.S. intervention in Syria. It described the allegations as “lies” and “fabrications,” noting what it called a U.S. track record of using false claims as a pretext for military aggression.

The State Department said Monday that it believes about 50 detainees are being hanged each day at the Saydnaya military prison, a 45-minute drive north of Damascus.

Many of the bodies are then burned in the crematorium “to cover up the extent of mass murders taking place,” said Stuart Jones, the top U.S. diplomat for the Middle East, accusing President Bashar Assad’s government of sinking “to a new level of depravity.”