Originally published on August 22, 2013
"Syria's opposition accused government forces of gassing hundreds of people on Wednesday by firing rockets that released deadly fumes over rebel-held Damascus suburbs, killing men, women and children as they slept," Reuters news agency reported.
The report continued: "With the death toll estimated between 500 and 1,300, what would be the world's most lethal chemical weapons attack since the 1980s prompted an emergency meeting of the U.N. Security Council in New York.
"Syrian Information Minister Omran Zoabi said the allegations were "illogical and fabricated". President Bashar al-Assad's officials have said they would never use poison gas against Syrians. The United States and European allies believe Assad's forces have used small amounts of sarin before, hence the current U.N. visit.
"Immediate international action is likely to be limited, with the divisions among major powers that have crippled efforts to quell 2 1/2 years of civil war still much in evidence.
"Russia backed up Syrian government denials by saying it looked like a rebel "provocation" to discredit Assad.
"Britain voiced the opposite view: "I hope this will wake up some who have supported the Assad regime to realize its murderous and barbaric nature," Foreign Secretary William Hague said on a visit to Paris.
"France, Britain, the United States and others called for an immediate on-site investigation by U.N. chemical weapons inspectors who arrived in the Syrian capital only this week. Moscow, urging an "objective" inquiry, said the very presence of that team suggested government forces were not to blame.
"U.S. President Barack Obama has made the use of chemical weapons by Assad's forces a "red line" that in June triggered more U.S. aid to the rebels. But previous, smaller and disputed cases of their deployment have not brought the all-out military intervention rebel leaders have sought to break a stalemate."
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