Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s military has denied using chemical weapons and blamed “terrorist” groups for the carnage. Western states said the Syrian government was responsible for that attack.
Advertisement
During Nikki Haley’s Wednesday speech before the United Nations, she accused the Assad regime, Russian Federation and Iran of having “no interest in peace”.
At least 72 people including 11 children were killed in the chemical strike in Khan Sheikhoun, located in the northern Idlib province, while hundreds more were injured.
“These heinous actions by the Assad regime can not be tolerated”, Trump said.
U.N. Secretary General Antonio Guterres on Wednesday called the attack a “moment of truth” that must be investigated.
A member of the Syrian opposition said the attack was a “direct consequence” of the recent USA statements on Assad.
Obama threatened an air campaign to topple Assad but called it off at the last minute after the Syrian leader agreed to give up his chemical arsenal under a deal brokered by Moscow, a decision which Trump has long said proved Obama’s weakness. It’s the first announced visit by a top US official to Russian Federation since President Donald Trump’s inauguration.
“There are times when we are compelled to do more than just talk”, Mrs. Haley said. “The Prime Minister. made a very strong statement condemning this attack, and Britain has brought forward a UN Security Council resolution that will be debated this afternoon”.
“We regularly repeat exhausted taking points in support of a peace process that is regularly undermined by the Assad regime”, she said. A Syrian opposition figure said it was a effect of recent USA statements suggesting a focus on stopping Islamic State militants rather than ousting Assad.
It pinned the “use of chemical and poisonous material” on rebel forces “to achieve their despicable goals and agendas”.
The United States has blamed the chemical attack on Syrian government forces.
Mr Trump also blamed former United States president Barack Obama for “weakness” in failing to respond aggressively after the 2013 attack.
Trump has described Tuesday’s incident as “heinous actions by the Bashar al-Assad regime” and faulted Obama for having failed to enforce the red line four years ago.
It was not clear what, if any, action Trump would take.
Konashenkov said chemical weapons produced by the factory were used in Iraq. The officials weren’t authorized to speak publicly on the matter and demanded anonymity.
“This morning, at 6:30 a.m., warplanes targeted Khan Sheikhoun with gases, believed to be sarin and chlorine”, he told a news conference.
Victims of the attack showed signs of nerve gas exposure, the World Health Organization and Doctors Without Borders said, including suffocation, foaming at the mouth, convulsions, constricted pupils and involuntary defecation.
Videos from the scene showed volunteer medics using fire hoses to wash the chemicals from victims’ bodies. It was drafted by the U.S., Britain and France.
“Unlike the previous administration, though, this one is making explicit what was implicit under Obama: The goal was not getting rid of Assad but destroying ISIS”, he said, using an alternative acronym for Islamic State.
He has previously said the United States and Russian Federation should work more closely in Syria to fight against Islamic State.
For Trump’s critics, though, it wasn’t enough. Sen.
“As the self-proclaimed guarantors to the ceasefire negotiated in Astana, Russia and Iran also bear great moral responsibility for these deaths”, he said.
Referring to the 2013 attack, McCain told CNN: “We’ve seen this movie before, it was when Barack Obama said they would have a red line, they crossed it and he did nothing”.
The chapter was seen internationally as a major blow to USA credibility and, for Obama’s critics, a prime example of weak leadership.
Advertisement
“Trump may be happy to blame it on Obama and look the other way, but our Prime Minister must rise above this and defend global law”.
