Syria, rebels blame each other for alleged chemical attack

2013-03-19 75

A possible chemical attack in Syria.

Syrian officials and rebels accused each other of launching a chemical rocket attack near Aleppo Tuesday.

Syrian TV aired images of what it said were casualties taken to hospitals, saying 25 were killed and many dozens more wounded.

(SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) WOMAN IN HOSPITAL SHOUTING:

"They hit us with chemical weapons. The terrorists attacked us, those bastards! May God punish them. They are not men."

The Syrian government condemned the attack, but a senior rebel commander in Aleppo accused the government of firing the chemical rocket.

In Istanbul, opposition leaders condemned the use of chemical weapons, adding they need to assess the situation.

Syrian National Coalition Spokesman Khaled Saleh.

(SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) SYRIAN NATIONAL COALITION SPOKESMAN KHALED SALEH, SAYING:

"We have received some news - which is not confirmed with the command of the Free Syrian Army - that some chemical weapons are u