Russia: Assad Not to Blame for Chemical Attack

Russia today said Syrian President Bashar al-Assad was not responsible for Tuesday’s chemical-weapons attack on a rebel-held area of Idlib province, despite witnesses and a cache of evidence suggesting that he bombed his own civilians, reports REUTERS. The U.S. was one of several countries to blame Assad for the attack, which killed more than 70 people in the town of Khan Sheikhoun. While adults and children alike choked from the gas attack, government airstrikes reportedly rained down on the hospital. Washington has said the deaths were likely caused by sarin nerve gas dropped by Syrian air forces.

Today, however, the Kremlin said it believed poison gas may have leaked from a rebel-owned chemical-weapons depot. Hasan Haj Ali, commander of the Free Idlib Army rebel group, said, “Everyone saw the plane while it was bombing with gas.” He called the Russian statement Wednesday a “lie.” He added, “Likewise, all the civilians in the area know that there are no military positions there, or places for the manufacture [of weapons]. The various factions of the opposition are not capable of producing these substances.” Read more at REUTERS.

{Matzav}