BBC Online :
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has said no evidence has been found of a chemical weapons attack in Syria’s formerly rebel-held town of Douma.
He said Russian specialists and aid workers had visited the area. Rebel fighters have started leaving the town under a surrender deal. Medical sources say dozens were killed in Saturday’s alleged attack but numbers are impossible to verify.
The US and France threatened a “joint, strong response” to the alleged attack.
The United Nations Security Council is to discuss the allegations later on Monday.
The Russian denial came hours after a deadly attack on a Syrian military airport, which Moscow and the Syrian government blamed on Israel.
Missiles hit the Tiyas airbase, known as T4, near the city of Homs. Observers say 14 people were killed.
Israel, which has previously hit Syrian targets, has not commented. Syria initially blamed Washington for the strike, but the US,
UK and France have all denied involvement. It is unclear if the strike has anything to do with the suspected chemical attack.
US President Donald Trump said there would be a “big price to pay” for the alleged attack in Douma, in the Eastern Ghouta region, near the capital Damascus. He branded Syria’s President Bashar al-Assad an “animal”.
Along with France’s President Emmanuel Macron, he issued a joint statement on Sunday vowing to “co-ordinate a strong, joint response”.
UK Prime Minister Theresa May’s spokesman said Britain was working with its allies on the response.
Meanwhile Ahmet Uzumcu, head of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, expressed “grave concern” about the alleged attack. The OPCW is currently gathering information about the possible use of chemical weapons.
Mr Lavrov said that the Russian military had warned many times of a “provocation” being prepared, aimed at putting the blame on Damascus for the alleged use of chemical weapons against civilians.
“Our military specialists have visited this place, along with representatives of the Syrian Red Crescent… and they did not find any trace of chlorine or any other chemical substance used against civilians,” he said.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has said no evidence has been found of a chemical weapons attack in Syria’s formerly rebel-held town of Douma.
He said Russian specialists and aid workers had visited the area. Rebel fighters have started leaving the town under a surrender deal. Medical sources say dozens were killed in Saturday’s alleged attack but numbers are impossible to verify.
The US and France threatened a “joint, strong response” to the alleged attack.
The United Nations Security Council is to discuss the allegations later on Monday.
The Russian denial came hours after a deadly attack on a Syrian military airport, which Moscow and the Syrian government blamed on Israel.
Missiles hit the Tiyas airbase, known as T4, near the city of Homs. Observers say 14 people were killed.
Israel, which has previously hit Syrian targets, has not commented. Syria initially blamed Washington for the strike, but the US,
UK and France have all denied involvement. It is unclear if the strike has anything to do with the suspected chemical attack.
US President Donald Trump said there would be a “big price to pay” for the alleged attack in Douma, in the Eastern Ghouta region, near the capital Damascus. He branded Syria’s President Bashar al-Assad an “animal”.
Along with France’s President Emmanuel Macron, he issued a joint statement on Sunday vowing to “co-ordinate a strong, joint response”.
UK Prime Minister Theresa May’s spokesman said Britain was working with its allies on the response.
Meanwhile Ahmet Uzumcu, head of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, expressed “grave concern” about the alleged attack. The OPCW is currently gathering information about the possible use of chemical weapons.
Mr Lavrov said that the Russian military had warned many times of a “provocation” being prepared, aimed at putting the blame on Damascus for the alleged use of chemical weapons against civilians.
“Our military specialists have visited this place, along with representatives of the Syrian Red Crescent… and they did not find any trace of chlorine or any other chemical substance used against civilians,” he said.
