Media: Assad used chemical weapons

The Syrian government army for the first time after the start of the conflict used chemical weapons. This was reported by the Israeli newspaper Ha'aretz with reference to the Arab media and representatives of the opposition. At least two sources reported that two containers with poisonous substances were dropped at the suburb of Homs al-Baida from the air. No independent confirmation of information about the use of chemical weapons has yet been received.

According to reports, as a result, six or seven people were killed by attacks and dozens were poisoned. Residents said that they suffered from nausea, disorders of consciousness and difficulty breathing. The opposition also claims that four people are blinded and four others are paralyzed. Some of the victims are in serious condition, they were sent to the hospital.

“The situation is very bad,” said one of the rebels Al -Jazeera. “We don’t have enough gas masks, we don’t know what kind of gas it is, but doctors say that he resembles Zarin.” A video appeared on the network, the authors of which claim that they removed the resuscitation process of one of the poisoned.

On Monday, in an interview with Russia Today, Russian Minister Sergei Lavrov said, commenting on the issue of the possible use of chemical weapons by Syria, that "for the Syrian government it would be equivalent to suicide." According to available information, Lavrov added, the latest information about the movement of chemical weapons in Syria was due to the fact that the government decided to relocate the entire arsenal of chemical weapons to two points to ensure their complete protection.

France admits that Russia can help to ensure the safety of the chemical and biological weapons available to Damascus, said French defense Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian in an interview with the French newspaper La Croix, RIA Novosti reports. "We know where this weapon is, and we are following it. But we are not there. If Russia could play a positive role in ensuring the safety of this arsenal, it would not be worse," Le Drian said. He noted that Syrian President Bashar Assad "can use this weapon in despair." But the Syrian authorities realize that this will lead to a response from France, Europe and the USA. The minister also fears that "this weapon will fall into the hands of unreliable opposition forces."

In July, the Syrian authorities placed chemical weapons at the airports of border cities, representatives of the opposition said. The purpose of the transfer of chemical weapons is to provide pressure on the world community, they noted. On July 23, the official representative of the Syrian government, Jihad McDisi, said that his country would use chemical weapons in case of a foreign intervention. The Cyrian government will not apply combat poisonous substances against its own population under any conditions, he emphasized.

US President Barack Obama then said that the use of chemical weapons will become a "tragic mistake" of the Syrian president. Obama emphasized that all responsibility for such actions would lie on Assad. Pentagon spokesman George Little said that the United States finds the prospect of using chemical weapons as part of the “absolutely unacceptable” conflict and advised the authorities not to even think about it.

The concern of the Foreign Ministry of Syria was also expressed by the EU and the UK. The Secretary General of the UN Pan Gi Moon, commenting on the possibility of using chemical weapons, called such a step "reprehensible." Israel is worried about the fact that the chemical weapon available in Syria with an exacerbation of the situation can fall into the hands of Islamists, in particular, Hezbollah. The representative of the Ministry of Defense said that a set of measures is being developed aimed at non -proliferation of chemical weapons in the region.