Government
forces in Syria
have carried out a “poisonous gas†attack near the
capital, Damascus, leaving hundreds of people
dead, Syrian activists have claimed.
Activists said regime forces fired “rockets with
poisonous gas heads†in the alleged attack early
on Wednesday.
The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human
Rights said the shelling was intense and hit the
eastern suburbs of Zamalka, Arbeen and Ein
Tarma.
It said at least 100 were killed, while the Local
Coordination Committees said hundreds of people
were killed or injured in the shelling.
The main opposition group, the Syrian National
Coalition, accused the regime of killing more than
650 people in the attack.
“Over 650 confirmed dead result of deadly
chemical weapon attack in Syria,†the National
Coalition said on Twitter.
The Syrian authorities denied charges that the
army used chemical arms, saying the reports were
intended to hinder the mission of UN inspectors
now in the country.
The head of the UN chemical weapons inspectors
in Syria said that reports of the gas attack should
be investigated.
Swedish scientist Ake Sellstrom told news agency
TT that while he had only seen TV footage, the
high number of casualties reported sounded
suspicious.
The Syrian National Coalition has called for an
urgent UN Security Council meeting after the
deadly attack.
“I call on the Security Council to convene
urgently,†National Coalition leader Ahmed al-
Jarba told Al-Arabiya news channel, condemning
the Syrian army’s bombardment of the Ghouta
suburbs of Damascus as a “massacre.â€
He urged the UN commission of inquiry on the use
of chemical weapons to visit the site.
UK said it would raise the reported chemical
weapons attack by forces loyal to Syrian President
Bashar Al-Assad at the United Nations Security
Council and called on Damascus to give UN
inspectors access to the site.
“I am deeply concerned by reports that hundreds
of people,including children, have been killed in
airstrikes and a chemical weapons attack on rebel-
held areas near Damascus,†British Foreign
Secretary William Hague said in a statement.
France will also ask UN experts to visit site of
alleged chemical attack in Syria, French
government spokesman said.
forces in Syria
have carried out a “poisonous gas†attack near the
capital, Damascus, leaving hundreds of people
dead, Syrian activists have claimed.
Activists said regime forces fired “rockets with
poisonous gas heads†in the alleged attack early
on Wednesday.
The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human
Rights said the shelling was intense and hit the
eastern suburbs of Zamalka, Arbeen and Ein
Tarma.
It said at least 100 were killed, while the Local
Coordination Committees said hundreds of people
were killed or injured in the shelling.
The main opposition group, the Syrian National
Coalition, accused the regime of killing more than
650 people in the attack.
“Over 650 confirmed dead result of deadly
chemical weapon attack in Syria,†the National
Coalition said on Twitter.
The Syrian authorities denied charges that the
army used chemical arms, saying the reports were
intended to hinder the mission of UN inspectors
now in the country.
The head of the UN chemical weapons inspectors
in Syria said that reports of the gas attack should
be investigated.
Swedish scientist Ake Sellstrom told news agency
TT that while he had only seen TV footage, the
high number of casualties reported sounded
suspicious.
The Syrian National Coalition has called for an
urgent UN Security Council meeting after the
deadly attack.
“I call on the Security Council to convene
urgently,†National Coalition leader Ahmed al-
Jarba told Al-Arabiya news channel, condemning
the Syrian army’s bombardment of the Ghouta
suburbs of Damascus as a “massacre.â€
He urged the UN commission of inquiry on the use
of chemical weapons to visit the site.
UK said it would raise the reported chemical
weapons attack by forces loyal to Syrian President
Bashar Al-Assad at the United Nations Security
Council and called on Damascus to give UN
inspectors access to the site.
“I am deeply concerned by reports that hundreds
of people,including children, have been killed in
airstrikes and a chemical weapons attack on rebel-
held areas near Damascus,†British Foreign
Secretary William Hague said in a statement.
France will also ask UN experts to visit site of
alleged chemical attack in Syria, French
government spokesman said.
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