SNC members condemn alleged toxic gas attack in Syria; UK, French FMs comments

(21 Aug 2013) The Syrian National Coalition (SNC) on Wednesday condemned the country's government for an alleged toxic gas attack that killed at least 100 people, including many children. Regime forces targeted the eastern suburbs of Damascus with intense artillery and rocket barrages, part of a fierce government offensive in the area. SNC members called for an emergency meeting in an attempt to prevent any future threats to civilians. "We're asking for an emergency meeting of the United Nations and a Security Council (meeting) and to come up with a binding resolution for the regime to stop this military operation against innocent civilians and to stop the use of chemical weapons against Syrians," said SNC member Khalid Saleh. Fellow member Hisham Marwah said he had heard reports that children had died shortly after being exposed to what doctors suspected was sarin gas. "They said that we received little kids, like children who could not breathe and then they shook and then died," said Marwah. Marwah also raised doubts that the UN will be allowed to inspect the region where the attack took place given its ties with the Syrian regime. "The coalition tried to call them and to contact them and to push them to go there and make an immediate investigation but I don't think they can do it because they need to arrange that visit or this investigation with the Syrian regime because it is the local authority there," added Marwah. Foreign ministers of both France and Britain voiced their concerns over the allegations of the use of chemical weapons, saying they would ask the UN Security Council to investigate the matter. "France condemns in the strongest way the Damascus massacre and demands an immediate investigation," said French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius. "Allegations on the massive use of chemical weapons are exceptionally grave. There is a UN team in Damascus right now, we must absolutely demand to the Syrian authorities to allow the UN team to do its job." British Foreign Secretary William Hague echoed the same sentiments. "There is no excuse for the Syrian regime not to provide access to the area, for the UN team that are in Damascus now to assess the use of chemical weapons and so we are pursuing this with our partners at the Security Council," Hague told reporters in Brussels. "I think this is a very important matter for us to pursue over the coming days and hours." The Syrian government called the claims of Wednesday attack "absolutely baseless". The UN inspectors' presence in Syria raises questions about why the regime would use chemical agents at this time. Syria is said to have one of the world's largest stockpiles of chemical weapons, including mustard gas and the nerve agent sarin. The government refuses to confirm or deny it possesses such weapons. In June, the US said it had conclusive evidence that President Bashar Assad's regime used chemical weapons against opposition forces. That crossed what US President Barack Obama called a "red line" - prompting a US decision to begin arming rebel groups, although that has not happened yet. The reported death toll on Wednesday would make it the deadliest alleged chemical attack in Syria's civil war. There were conflicting reports, however, as to what exactly transpired and the death toll ranged from a hundred to 1,300. Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter:   / ap_archive   Facebook:   / aparchives   ​​ Instagram:   / apnews   You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...