Khan Sheikhun, Syria — A suspected chemical attack in rebel-held northwestern Syria killed dozens of civilians including children and left many more sick and gasping, causing international outrage Wednesday.
The death toll in the town of Khan Sheikhun has risen to 72, 20 of them children, a monitoring group said on Wednesday.
“There were also 17 women among the dead and the death toll could rise further because there are people missing,’’ the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.
Dozens suffer from respiratory problems and symptoms including vomiting, fainting, and foaming at the mouth, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitoring group said.
The UN Security Council was to meet later on Wednesday to debate a Western-drafted resolution condemning the air strike.
But Moscow, which holds a veto, defended its Damascus ally saying that while Syrian aircraft had carried out a strike, the chemicals were part of a “terrorist’’ stockpile of “toxic substances’’ that had been hit on the ground.
Rebel groups led by former Al-Qaeda affiliate Fateh al-Sham Front vowed revenge for Tuesday’s strike in the town of Khan Sheikhun in Idlib province in the northwest.
Syria’s opposition blamed President Bashar al-Assad’s forces, saying the attack cast doubt on the future of peace talks.
The army denied any involvement in a statement blaming “terrorist groups’’ for using “chemical and toxic substances.’’
If confirmed, it would be one of the worst chemical attacks since Syria’s civil war began six years ago.
The incident brought swift international condemnation, with the United States, France, and Britain presenting a draft resolution to the UN Security Council demanding a full investigation.
“This is clearly a war crime,’’ British Ambassador Matthew Rycroft told reporters.
The Tahrir al-Sham rebel alliance, which includes Al-Qaeda’s former affiliate, the Fateh al-Sham Front, vowed to avenge the deaths, calling on fighters to “ignite the fronts.’’
BRUTAL, UNABASHED BARBARISM
Washington condemned what it called a “reprehensible’’ attack by Assad’s forces and US officials said his allies Russia and Iran must bring the dictator to heel.
“While we continue to monitor the terrible situation, it is clear that this is how Bashar al-Assad operates: With brutal, unabashed barbarism,’’ Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said.
UN envoy Staffan de Mistura said the attack was believed to be chemical and launched from the air, adding there should be a “clear identification of responsibilities and accountability.’’
The Observatory said the attack on a residential part of Khan Sheikhun came early on Tuesday, when a warplane carried out strikes that released “toxic gas.’’
As well as those killed, at least 160 people were injured, it said, and many died even after arriving at medical facilities.
The monitor could not confirm the nature of the gas, but said the attack was probably carried out by government warplanes.
“We ran inside the houses and saw whole families just dead in their beds,’’ resident Abu Mustafa said.
“Children, women, old people dead in the streets.’’
Russia’s military, which has been fighting in support of Assad’s government since September, 2015, denied carrying out any strikes near the town.
Hours after the initial attack, air strikes also hit a hospital in the town where doctors were treating victims, the AFP correspondent said, bringing down rubble on top of medics as they worked.
He saw a young girl, a woman and two elderly people dead at a hospital.
A father carried his dead little girl wrapped in a sheet, her lips blueish and her dark curls visible.
Speaking to AFP, medic Hazem Shehwan said victims of the earlier attack had symptoms including “pinpoint pupils, convulsions, foaming at the mouth, and rapid pulses.’’
The army again denied using chemical weapons on Tuesday, insisting “it has never used them, anytime, anywhere, and will not do so in the future.’’
source: mb.com.ph