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| Syrian government accused of using nerve agents as death toll from Douma 'chemical weapons attack' rises | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| The nerve agent sarin may have been used in the Syrian government’s alleged 'chemical weapons attack' on the town of Douma, it has been claimed. | The nerve agent sarin may have been used in the Syrian government’s alleged 'chemical weapons attack' on the town of Douma, it has been claimed. |
| The pro-opposition Ghouta Media Centre alleged that a helicopter had dropped a barrel bomb containing sarin, and another organisation claimed that a hospital had been hit by a chlorine bomb. | The pro-opposition Ghouta Media Centre alleged that a helicopter had dropped a barrel bomb containing sarin, and another organisation claimed that a hospital had been hit by a chlorine bomb. |
| With images of women and children foaming from the mouth and nose circulating on social media, the death toll from Saturday evening’s attack on the town was said to have risen to at least 49, with some observers saying more than 150 people have been killed. | |
| As the alleged atrocity further increased tensions between Russia, Bashar al-Assad, and the West, Donald Trump weighed in with a series of furious tweets. | |
| After condemning Iran and Russia's Vladimir Putin for “backing animal Assad”, Donald Trump tweeted that there would be a “big price to pay” in connection with what he called a "mindless chemical attack" and an "atrocity". | |
| He also referred to Barack Obama's perceived failure to follow up on his threat to respond with punitive force if the Assad regime crossed the "red line" of deploying chemical weapons. | |
| Earlier one of the US president’s top homeland security advisers refused to rule out launching a missile strike in response to the alleged chemical weapons attack. | Earlier one of the US president’s top homeland security advisers refused to rule out launching a missile strike in response to the alleged chemical weapons attack. |
| "I wouldn't take anything off the table," White House Homeland Security and Counterterrorism Adviser Thomas Bossert told ABC's This Week. | "I wouldn't take anything off the table," White House Homeland Security and Counterterrorism Adviser Thomas Bossert told ABC's This Week. |
| "We are looking into the attack at this point," he added, saying that the photos of the incident were "horrible”. | "We are looking into the attack at this point," he added, saying that the photos of the incident were "horrible”. |
| Both the US State Department and the British Foreign Office also issued statements calling upon Vladimir Putin’s government to stop supporting the regime of Bashar al-Assad. | Both the US State Department and the British Foreign Office also issued statements calling upon Vladimir Putin’s government to stop supporting the regime of Bashar al-Assad. |
| Russia and Syria, however, both denied that chemical weapons had been used, and news agencies said it was impossible to independently verify what had happened in Douma, the last rebel-held town in eastern Ghouta, an area of Syria just outside the country’s capital Damascus. | |
| But the Syrian American Medical Society (SAMS) and the ‘White Helmets’ Syria Civil Defence organisation, which operates in rebel-held areas, issued a joint statement claiming 49 people had died in the air attack. | But the Syrian American Medical Society (SAMS) and the ‘White Helmets’ Syria Civil Defence organisation, which operates in rebel-held areas, issued a joint statement claiming 49 people had died in the air attack. |
| SAMS said a chlorine bomb hit Douma hospital, killing six people. | SAMS said a chlorine bomb hit Douma hospital, killing six people. |
| Backing the Ghouta Media Centre's claims, SAMS alleged that a second attack with "mixed agents", including nerve agents, had hit a nearby building. | Backing the Ghouta Media Centre's claims, SAMS alleged that a second attack with "mixed agents", including nerve agents, had hit a nearby building. |
| Basel Termanini, the US-based vice president of SAMS, said a further 35 people had been killed at a nearby apartment building, most of them women and children. | Basel Termanini, the US-based vice president of SAMS, said a further 35 people had been killed at a nearby apartment building, most of them women and children. |
| First responders said they found families suffocated in their homes and shelters with foam on their mouths. A White Helmets spokesman claimed rescuers were prevented from searching further by strong smells that made it hard for them to breathe. | First responders said they found families suffocated in their homes and shelters with foam on their mouths. A White Helmets spokesman claimed rescuers were prevented from searching further by strong smells that made it hard for them to breathe. |
| One video circulated by activists showed the lifeless bodies of around a dozen children, women and men, some of them with foam at the mouth, along with the commentary: “Douma city, April 7 … there is a strong smell here.” | One video circulated by activists showed the lifeless bodies of around a dozen children, women and men, some of them with foam at the mouth, along with the commentary: “Douma city, April 7 … there is a strong smell here.” |
| The joint SAMS and civil defence statement said medical centres had taken in more than 500 people suffering breathing difficulties, frothing from the mouth and smelling of chlorine. | The joint SAMS and civil defence statement said medical centres had taken in more than 500 people suffering breathing difficulties, frothing from the mouth and smelling of chlorine. |
| At the same time Tawfik Chamaa, of the Union of Medical Care and Relief Organizations (UOSSM), a network of Syrian doctors, said 150 people were confirmed dead and the number was growing. | At the same time Tawfik Chamaa, of the Union of Medical Care and Relief Organizations (UOSSM), a network of Syrian doctors, said 150 people were confirmed dead and the number was growing. |
| "The majority were civilians, women and children trapped in underground shelters," he said. | "The majority were civilians, women and children trapped in underground shelters," he said. |
| The U.S. State Department said it was closely following the reports that chemical weapons had been used. | The U.S. State Department said it was closely following the reports that chemical weapons had been used. |
| State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said: "These reports, if confirmed, are horrifying and demand an immediate response by the international community. | State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said: "These reports, if confirmed, are horrifying and demand an immediate response by the international community. |
| “The United States calls on Russia to end this unmitigated support immediately and work with the international community to prevent further, barbaric chemical weapons attacks. | “The United States calls on Russia to end this unmitigated support immediately and work with the international community to prevent further, barbaric chemical weapons attacks. |
| "The Assad regime and its backers must be held accountable and any further attacks prevented immediately.” | "The Assad regime and its backers must be held accountable and any further attacks prevented immediately.” |
| Britain's Foreign Office said the reports that chemical weapons had been used were "very concerning". | Britain's Foreign Office said the reports that chemical weapons had been used were "very concerning". |
| A spokesman said: "An urgent investigation is needed and the international community must respond. | A spokesman said: "An urgent investigation is needed and the international community must respond. |
| “We call on the Assad regime and its backers, Russia and Iran, to stop the violence against innocent civilians.” | “We call on the Assad regime and its backers, Russia and Iran, to stop the violence against innocent civilians.” |
| Russia, however, strongly denied that chemical weapons had been used, as did the Syrian government. | Russia, however, strongly denied that chemical weapons had been used, as did the Syrian government. |
| The Interfax agency quoted Major-General Yuri Yevtushenko, head of the Russian peace and reconciliation centre in Syria, as saying: “We decidedly refute this information." | The Interfax agency quoted Major-General Yuri Yevtushenko, head of the Russian peace and reconciliation centre in Syria, as saying: “We decidedly refute this information." |
| Syrian state media accused the rebels of lying about the use of chemical weapons as soon as the reports began circulating. | Syrian state media accused the rebels of lying about the use of chemical weapons as soon as the reports began circulating. |
| "[The] terrorists are in a state of collapse and their media outlets are [making] chemical attack fabrications in an exposed and failed attempt to obstruct advances by the Syrian Arab army," state news agency SANA reported, citing an official source. | "[The] terrorists are in a state of collapse and their media outlets are [making] chemical attack fabrications in an exposed and failed attempt to obstruct advances by the Syrian Arab army," state news agency SANA reported, citing an official source. |
| Syrian rebel group Jaish al-Islam, however, accused the government of using chemical weapons. | Syrian rebel group Jaish al-Islam, however, accused the government of using chemical weapons. |
| "The Assad regime and its allies carry on with their crimes," the rebels' military spokesman, Hamza Birqdar, told al-Hadath TV. | "The Assad regime and its allies carry on with their crimes," the rebels' military spokesman, Hamza Birqdar, told al-Hadath TV. |
| A sceptical note, however, was struck by the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. | A sceptical note, however, was struck by the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. |
| The British-based monitoring organisation said at least 80 people had been killed, including around 40 who died from suffocation. But the organisation said the suffocations were the result of shelters collapsing on people inside. | The British-based monitoring organisation said at least 80 people had been killed, including around 40 who died from suffocation. But the organisation said the suffocations were the result of shelters collapsing on people inside. |
| If, however, it is independently confirmed that sarin was dropped on Douma, it would not be the first time the banned nerve agent has been used in Syria. | If, however, it is independently confirmed that sarin was dropped on Douma, it would not be the first time the banned nerve agent has been used in Syria. |
| Last year the UN Commission of Inquiry on Syria concluded that a government warplane had dropped sarin on Khan Sheikhoun in Idlib province in April 2017, killing more than 80 civilians. | Last year the UN Commission of Inquiry on Syria concluded that a government warplane had dropped sarin on Khan Sheikhoun in Idlib province in April 2017, killing more than 80 civilians. |
| Declaring the incident a war crime, the commission reported: “Government forces continued the pattern of using chemical weapons against civilians in opposition-held areas. | Declaring the incident a war crime, the commission reported: “Government forces continued the pattern of using chemical weapons against civilians in opposition-held areas. |
| “In the gravest incident, the Syrian air force used sarin in Khan Sheikhoun, Idlib, killing dozens, the majority of whom were women and children.” | “In the gravest incident, the Syrian air force used sarin in Khan Sheikhoun, Idlib, killing dozens, the majority of whom were women and children.” |
| At the time of the attack, doctors said victims started to choke, vomit and faint with foam coming out of their mouths. One pro-opposition witness reported finding entire families inside their homes, lying on the floor with their eyes wide open but unable to move. | At the time of the attack, doctors said victims started to choke, vomit and faint with foam coming out of their mouths. One pro-opposition witness reported finding entire families inside their homes, lying on the floor with their eyes wide open but unable to move. |
| When it reported in September 2017, the UN Commision of Inquiry said the Khan Sheikhoun incident was the worst of 33 chemical weapons attacks that it had documented. | When it reported in September 2017, the UN Commision of Inquiry said the Khan Sheikhoun incident was the worst of 33 chemical weapons attacks that it had documented. |
| The commission said 27 attacks were by Syrian government forces and the perpetrators of six other attacks had not yet been identified. | The commission said 27 attacks were by Syrian government forces and the perpetrators of six other attacks had not yet been identified. |
| In August 2013, rockets containing sarin were fired at rebel-held areas of eastern Ghouta, but the UN mission that investigated this attack was not asked to determine who was responsible. | In August 2013, rockets containing sarin were fired at rebel-held areas of eastern Ghouta, but the UN mission that investigated this attack was not asked to determine who was responsible. |
| The UN mission reported finding “clear and convincing evidence that chemical weapons were used against civilians, including children, on a relatively large scale in the Ghouta area on 21 August 2013.” | The UN mission reported finding “clear and convincing evidence that chemical weapons were used against civilians, including children, on a relatively large scale in the Ghouta area on 21 August 2013.” |
| The UN mission's 2013 report added: “Close to the rocket impact sites, in the area where patients were affected, the environment was found to be contaminated by sarin.” | The UN mission's 2013 report added: “Close to the rocket impact sites, in the area where patients were affected, the environment was found to be contaminated by sarin.” |
| Hundreds of people died in the attack. | Hundreds of people died in the attack. |
| The Assad government has repeatedly denied using chemical weapons. It explained the Khan Sheikhoun incident by saying its airstrikes had hit a chemical weapons depot belonging to rebel forces. This claim, however, was dismissed by the UN investigators. | The Assad government has repeatedly denied using chemical weapons. It explained the Khan Sheikhoun incident by saying its airstrikes had hit a chemical weapons depot belonging to rebel forces. This claim, however, was dismissed by the UN investigators. |
| The alleged chemical weapons attack on Douma comes after the Syrian government began a fierce air and ground assault on the town on Friday. | The alleged chemical weapons attack on Douma comes after the Syrian government began a fierce air and ground assault on the town on Friday. |
| State TV showed thick clouds of smoke rising from Douma, where Jaish al-Islam is holding out after insurgents in other parts of eastern Ghouta accepted offers of safe passage to rebel-held areas in the north of the country. | State TV showed thick clouds of smoke rising from Douma, where Jaish al-Islam is holding out after insurgents in other parts of eastern Ghouta accepted offers of safe passage to rebel-held areas in the north of the country. |
| Syrian state media accused Jaish al-Islam of killing six civilians in mortar bombardments of residential areas of Damascus on Saturday. | Syrian state media accused Jaish al-Islam of killing six civilians in mortar bombardments of residential areas of Damascus on Saturday. |
| The rebel group, however, denied the accusation. | The rebel group, however, denied the accusation. |