Britain, France claim Syria used chemical weapons

[DonViejo]

Source: WaPo

By Colum Lynch, Updated: Thursday, April 18, 3:48 PM

UNITED NATIONS — Britain and France have informed the United Nations that there is credible evidence that Syria used chemical weapons on more than one occasion since December, according to senior diplomats and officials briefed on the accounts.

In letters to U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, the two European powers said soil samples, witness interviews and opposition sources support charges that nerve agents were used in and around the cities of Aleppo, Homs and possibly Damascus, the officials said, speaking on the condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the matter.

The regime offensive comes after the rebels, resupplied with arms, have been advancing steadily.

The European accounts are in part aimed at countering accusations by the Syrian government that opposition forces had fired chemical weapons during fighting in the town of Khan al-Asal near Aleppo on March 19, killing 26 people, including Syrian troops.

Full article:


Read more: http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/britain-france-claim-syria-used-chemical-weapons/2013/04/18/f17a2e7c-a82f-11e2-a8e2-5b98cb59187f_story.html?hpid=z1?wpisrc=al_national

[Arctic Dave]

1. Riiiiigghhht...

Al Qaeda is so reliable.

Was the name curveball by chance?

[pampango]

2. We may never know. The Syrian government invited the UN to investigate than refused

to allow them to enter the country.

UN chief: Syria still has not allowed entry of chemical weapons investigation team

U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said Wednesday that Syria has still not allowed a team of experts into the country despite the country’s calling on the international body to investigate alleged chemical weapons use by rebels.

Syria has asked the U.N. to investigate a chemical weapons attack in March on the village of Khan al-Assal outside of Aleppo, which the regime blames on rebels and rebels blame on regime forces.

Ban is urging the Syrian government to accept an expanded U.N. probe into alleged chemical weapons use, saying he has concluded that a claimed attack in Homs in December warrants investigation.

Syria’s government wants the investigation limited to the single Khan al-Assal incident and last week rejected the expanded investigation.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/middle_east/un-chief-syria-bars-entry-of-chem-weapons-team/2013/04/17/bc22816c-a784-11e2-9e1c-bb0fb0c2edd9_story.html

[Pterodactyl]

3. Well if France says so, it is probably true.