RUSSIA LIED ABOUT CHEMICAL WEAPONS OF SYRIAN REBELS

WASHINGTON: The United States and Britain accused Russia on Friday (Saturday in Manila) of fabricating a story about chemical weapons use by Syrian rebels and warned Moscow against undermining a shaky truce. Russia’s defense ministry said rebels fired weapons containing chlorine on November 24 on the regime-held city of Aleppo, with Syrian state media reporting that around 100 Syrians were hospitalized for breathing difficulties. Russia responded to the purported attack with air raids on Idlib, the latest major stronghold of rebels and jihadists battling President Bashar al-Assad, throwing into question a truce reached in mid-September. The US said it had “credible information” that the chlorine account was false and that Russian and Syrian forces instead had fired tear gas.