Even as the government denies attacking its own people, autopsies in Turkey confirm chemical weapons used
A Syrian man collects and bags the body of a dead bird, reportedly killed by a suspected toxic gas attack in Khan Sheikhoun. Reports have suggested it was a mass chemical attack by the government. Pic/AFP
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Beirut: The Syrian government set conditions on Thursday for any international inquiry into a suspected chemical attack that killed scores of people in northwestern Syria, saying it must not be "politicised" and should start work from Damascus, not Turkey.
Syrian Foreign Minister Walid al-Moualem said the country's past experience with international inquiries had not been "encouraging".
He indicated that the government would only consider the idea of an inquiry if its concerns were addressed. Moualem also reiterated the government's denial that it was behind the attack on Tuesday in Khan Sheikhoun in Idlib. Moualem said, "Syria's armed forces did not and will not use chemical weapons. I stress to you once again: the Syrian army has not, did not and will not use this kind of weapons — not just against our own people, but even against the terrorists that attack our civilians."
President Donald Trump on Wednesday accused Bashar al-Assad's government of going "beyond a red line", and said his attitude towards Syria and Assad had changed.
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