MOSCOW, August 21 (Itar-Tass) - Syrian authorities would not use chemical weapons when the U.N. mission arrived in the country to investigate different cases of the use of chemical weapons, ex-ambassador to Yemen, Libya and Tunisia Veniamin Popov said on Wednesday.
“I’ve watched Al Arabiya TV Channel reports. Then the Syrian authorities denied them. It is difficult to imagine that the Syrians agreed to use chemical weapons when they agreed on the arrival of the U.N. mission,” Popov said.
Several television channels reported that dozens, if not hundreds of people were killed as a result of Syrian government troops' using rockets carrying poisonous chemicals. The alleged death toll ranged between 20 and 625. In all the cases, the reports were contributed by Syrian Opposition sources.
According to the mass media reports, the chemical weapons were used in the suburbs of Ain Terme, Dzhubare and Zamalka. The reports said the nerve gas used there was sarin.
There were many women and children among the injured. As evidence of the alleged chemical attack, activists placed videos on the internet showing injured and dead people.
Previously an official of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) said the ICRC was studying reports claiming sarin gas was allegedly used in Syria.