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Conflict in Syria

Damascus slams US allegations about use of chemical weapons

According to the Al Mayadeen TV channel, about 30 people suffered from ammonium chloride poisoning in Eastern Ghouta

© DHA-Depo Photos via AP

MOSCOW, January 24. /TASS/. Damascus condemns "the lies and allegations made by the US State Secretary and French Foreign Minister about the use of chemical weapons," a source in the Syrian Foreign Ministry said as cited by the Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA).

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Russia suggests UN SC set up new mechanism to probe Syria chemical attacks

The source pointed out that "Syria has always been fully cooperative and provided all that is necessary to conduct an unbiased, objective, and professional investigation into the use of chemical weapons, while the West was the one to obstruct this investigation and exercised various types of pressure on investigation teams to politicize it."

The source added that "those who promote and fabricate such lies" seek "to obstruct any effort that would contribute to finding a way out of the crisis in Syria."

On Wednesday, Associated Press reported citing "activists and rescue teams" that "the Syrian government launched an attack with suspected poisonous gas that affected nearly 20 civilians in a rebel-held suburb near Damascus."

US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said addressing a conference on chemical weapons in Paris that "the recent attacks in Eastern Ghouta raise serious concerns that Bashar al-Assad may be continuing to use chemical weapons against his own people."

According to the Al Mayadeen TV channel, about 30 people suffered from ammonium chloride poisoning in Eastern Ghouta, while at least two children died. Militants are believed to have disguised the poisonous powder as table salt.

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