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Militants plotting provocation with use of toxic agents Syria’s Idlib - defense ministry

According to the Russian defense ministry, extremists are delivering toxic agent from the Tel Tuna camp near Idlib to Jisr al-Shugur and Bdama

© Syrian Civil Defense White Helmets via AP

MOSCOW, April 24. /TASS/. Militants are plotting a provocation near the Syrian city of Idlib to discredit the country’s authorities, the Russian defense ministry said on Friday.

"Following the ungrounded resolution of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons limiting Syria’s rights in the organization, reports are coming that militants of the terrorist organization Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (outlawed in Russia) are plotting a provocation in the Idlib de-escalation zone in order to accuse Syria government forces of the use of chemical weapons," the ministry quoted Alexander Karpov, deputy chief of the Russian Center for Reconciliation of the Opposing Parties in Syria, as saying.

According to the Russian defense ministry, extremists are delivering toxic agent from the Tel Tuna camp near Idlib to Jisr al-Shugur and Bdama. Apart from that, increased activities of the White Helmets are being observed near the settlement of Marj al-Ajan.

"Terrorists plan to use information about victims of their provocations to discredit Syria’s official government," the ministry said.

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