Militants used chemical material against civilians near Idlib: Syria

Source : Tehran Times

Syrian Ambassador to the UN Bashar al- Jaafari has said that the foreign- backed militants in Syria have used chemical material against civilians during an attack on a town near Idlib.

Bashar al-Jaafari said at a press conference on Tuesday that the militants spread the contents of plastic bags containing chemical material during the attack.

Many residents were affected by the armed groups’ “heinous and irresponsible act,” the Syrian envoy said, warning that it was an attempt to “implicate the Syrian government on a false basis.”

Some of the victims were transferred to Turkey for treatment, Jaafari added.

The envoy went on to say that 'today or tomorrow Ankara and Western media would launch a new propaganda campaign against Damascus and claim that the Syrian government has used chemical weapons against its own people.'

Reports say that two people were killed and 20 others injured in the militants’ chemical attack in Idlib.

Meanwhile, U.S. President Barack Obama has said Washington did not know how chemical material was used in another recent attack in Aleppo.

The Syrian government requested the UN to dispatch a fact- finding mission to the country after reports circulated that the foreign-backed militants had used chemical weapons against civilians in Khan al-Assal district of the northwestern province of Aleppo on March 19. Over two dozen people were killed and more than 100 injured in the chemical attack.

Obama said at a press conference on Tuesday that, "If I can establish in a way that not only the United States but also the international community feel confident in the use of chemical weapons by the Assad regime, then that is a game-changer."

Syria has been gripped by deadly unrest since March 2011, and many people, including large numbers of government security forces and army personnel, have been killed in the violence.

Damascus says the chaos is being orchestrated from outside the country, and there are reports that a very large number of the militants are foreign nationals.

(Source: Press TV)

Syria says rebels may obtain chemical weapons from Turkey: minister

Source : Xinhua

DAMASCUS, April 27 (Xinhua) -- Syrian Information Minister Omran al- Zoubi said that the chemical weapons used by rebels in a northern Syrian town were probably from Turkey, the state-run SANA news agency reported Saturday.

The remarks were made during al-Zoubi's visit to Moscow. He said the missile which targeted the northern town of Khan al-Assal in Aleppo province was launched from a rebel-held place, which was not far from the Turkish borders.

He added the Syrian government took the initiative to request a probe into the incident, reiterating Syria's support for letting Russian experts investigate the use of chemical weapons in the battered town.

Commenting on the fresh western allegations about the use of chemical weapons by the Syrian army in other areas, the minister said "the U.S.- British and western allegations in general on that issue do not have any credibility."

He held the western sides direct responsibility for what happened in Khan al-Assal.

The White House said Thursday that the "U.S. intelligence community assesses with some degree of varying confidence that the Syrian regime has used chemical weapons on a small scale in Syria, specifically the chemical agent sarin."

Syria brushed aside the accusations and slammed Washington as trying to use the chemical issue to threat a repetition of the Iraqi scenario in 2003

Behind the Scenes: 4000 Militants Killed in Three Weeks

Source : http://www.almanar.com.lb

4000 members of the military and Takfiri groups were killed thousands were wounded during the last three weeks as was reve by military reports which reached the US military command and Pentagon circles this week.

According to many Western intelligence sources, the recent re coming from Syria reflected a significant shift of balance of mi power towards the Syrian government benefit. The Western sou expressed concern this change in the military field has caus devastating effect on the military factions fighting against the S army that many of them are fleeing the field, surrendering t government forces or joining them.

The G8 countries are mulling an initiative to propose a political sol to the Syrian crisis, this idea was further deliberated between th and Russian Foreign ministers, the initiative would be based on the of Geneva accord.

Sources close to the prime minister designate Tammam S expressed hope and optimism over a soon cabinet formation; how observers say it is not likely Salam forms his government in a future as many obstacles and detriments still need to be solved be that.