Syria claims rebels used chemical weapons

DAMASCUS, Syria — The Syrian government accused rebels of using chemical weapons Saturday and warned the United States not to launch any military action against Damascus over an alleged chemical attack last week, saying such a move would inflame the Middle East.

The accusations by the regime of President Bashar Assad against opposition forces came as an international aid group said it has tallied 355 deaths from a purported chemical weapons attack on Wednesday in a suburb of the Syrian capital.

Rebels have blamed the government for that attack, which has increased international concern about the Syrian conflict. But the regime pointed the fin- ger at the rebels.

Al-Zoubi blamed the rebels for the chemical attacks in Ghouta, saying that the Syrian government had proof of their responsibility but without giving details. “The rockets were fired from their positions and fell on civilians. They are responsible,” said Syria’s Information Minister Omran al-Zoubi.

The state news agency said several government troops in the area of the attack experienced severe trouble breathing or even “suffocation” after “armed terrorist groups used chemical weapons.” It was not clear what was meant by “suffocation,” and the report mentioned no fatalities among the troops.

“The Syrian Army achieved major progress in the past days and for that reason, the terrorist groups used chemical weapons as their last card,” state TV said. The government refers to rebels fighting to topple Assad as “terrorists.”

The claims could muddy the debate about who was responsible for Wednesday’s alleged gas attack, which spurred demands for an independent investigation and renewed talk of potential international military action if chemical weapons were used.

Al-Zoubi also dismissed the possibility of an American attack, warning that such a move would risk triggering more violence in the region.

“The basic repercussion would be a ball of fire that would burn not only Syria but the whole Middle East,” al-Zoubi said. “An attack on Syria would be no easy trip.”

Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman warned that U. S. intervention in Syria will “complicate matters.”

ASSOCIATED PRESS In this photo taken on a government media tour Saturday, a Syrian army soldier walks on a street in the Jobar neighborhood of Damascus. Syrian state media says it was the rebels who were responsible for a chemical weapons attack on...