At Least 1300 Dead in 'Chemical' Bombing near Damascus
إقرأ هذا الخبر بالعربية
Syria's main opposition group accused the government of "massacring" more than 1,300 people in chemical weapons attacks near Damascus on Wednesday, saying many of the victims choked to death.
The accusation came as a team of U.N. inspectors was in Syria to probe previous allegations of chemical weapons strikes leveled against both sides during the 29-month conflict.
Western governments demanded immediate access for the inspectors to investigate the new allegations. Russia, a longstanding ally of the Damascus regime, echoed the call for an inquiry but said it suspected a "provocation" by the opposition and its foreign backers.
Videos distributed by activists, the authenticity of which could not immediately be verified, showed medics attending to suffocating children and hospitals being overwhelmed.
More footage showed dozens of people laid out on the ground, among them many children, some of them covered in white sheets.
The claim of chemical weapons use, which could not be independently confirmed, was vehemently denied by the Syrian regime which said it was intended to hinder the work of the U.N. weapons inspectors already in the country.
Opposition sources accused the army of multiple chemical weapons strikes -- one in Moadamiyet al-Sham, southwest of Damascus, and more in the capital's eastern suburbs.
The Local Coordination Committees (LCC), a network of activists, reported hundreds of casualties in the "brutal use of toxic gas by the criminal regime".
And in videos posted on YouTube, the Syrian Revolution General Commission, another activist group, showed what it called "a terrible massacre committed by regime forces with toxic gas."
The attack "led to suffocation of the children and overcrowding field hospitals with hundreds of casualties amid extreme shortage of medical supplies to rescue the victims, particularly atropine," the LCC said.
In one video, children are seen being given first aid in a field hospital, notably oxygen to help them breathe. Doctors appear to be trying to resuscitate unconscious children.
Specialists in the impact of chemical weapons said the video evidence was not entirely convincing.
"At the moment, I am not totally convinced because the people that are helping them are without any protective clothing and without any respirators," said Paula Vanninen, director of Verifin, the Finnish Institute for Verification of the Chemical Weapons Convention.
"In a real case, they would also be contaminated and would also be having symptoms."
John Hart, head of the Chemical and Biological Security Project at Stockholm International Peace Research Institute said he had not seen the telltale evidence in the eyes of the victims that would be compelling evidence of chemical weapons use.
"Of the videos that I've seen for the last few hours, none of them show pinpoint pupils... this would indicate exposure to organophosphorus nerve agents," he said.
Gwyn Winfield, editor of CBRNe World magazine, which specializes in chemical weapons issues, said the evidence did not suggest that the chemicals used were of the weapons grade that the Syrian army possesses in its stockpiles.
"We're not seeing reports that doctors and nurses... are becoming fatalities, so that would suggest that the toxicity of it isn't what we would consider military sarin. It may well be that it is a lower-grade," Winfield told Agence France Presse.
The opposition National Coalition's George Sabra said more than 1,300 people had been killed in what he described as a "coup de grace that kills all hopes for a political solution in Syria".
"The Syrian regime is mocking the U.N. and the great powers when it strikes targets near Damascus, while the (U.N. weapons inspectors) are just a few steps away," he said.
State news agency SANA said "reports on the use of chemical weapons in Ghouta (the Damascus suburbs) are totally false. It's an attempt to prevent the U.N. commission of inquiry from carrying out its mission."
The U.N. Security Council was to hold an urgent meeting on the allegations later on Wednesday as U.N. officials said that talks were already under way with the Syrian government on securing access to the alleged attack sites.
The head of the U.N. inspection mission, Ake Sellstrom, was "in discussions with the Syrian government on all issues pertaining to the alleged use of chemical weapons, including this most recent reported incident," a statement said.
Washington demanded that the inspectors be given unfettered access.
"For the U.N.'s efforts to be credible, they must have immediate access to witnesses and affected individuals, and have the ability to examine and collect physical evidence without any interference or manipulation from the Syrian government," said White House spokesman Josh Earnest.
Washington has previously described chemical weapons use as a red line that might prompt it to intervene militarily in Syria.
Moscow, which has said it has proof of chemical weapons use by the rebels in March, expressed skepticism about the opposition's claims.
The foreign ministry said the timing of the allegations as U.N. inspectors began their work "makes us think that we are once again dealing with a premeditated provocation."
21 August 2013, 10:33
717
the current unconfirmed news is the death toll is over 1000.
is there still a sain person that aupports this murderous regime and his Iranian murderers?
21 August 2013, 11:04
197
Yes well there are unconfirmed news that 450 kurds were massacred by opposition gangs in north, and another 300 held hostage yet it's still in the category of unconfirmed news.
21 August 2013, 13:03
208
indeed, geha loves those "unconfirmed reports" and at the same time when he is shown confirmed reports of massacres by rebels/qaeda jihadists, he suddenly doesnt want to believe them anymore.
we know how the so called "NGO" (aka rami abdelrahman, rebel spokesman) works: they take the craziest rants that crazy cannibals shout in between two "allah w akbar" and a down of beheadings, and they call it "unconfirmed reports by activists".
in the mean time, here's an unconfirmed report you can chose to believe or not, and should be confirmed in the coming days: operation northen storm is about to start, the syrian army is comming to cleanup aleppo from all the terrorist rats, and they're going to hit hard.
21 August 2013, 13:25
312
it was denied by kurdish sources, pyd, ypg, ect., pictures we're from afghanistan, typical qom-style taqiya.
http://english.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13920514001077
http://morallowground.com/2012/05/08/nato-airstrike-kills-afghan-mother-and-her-5-children-separate-coalition-strike-kills-up-to-14-more-civilians-in-bala-murghab/
21 August 2013, 13:27
134
the pot calling the kettle black. it's clear to all discerning readers who are paid to be here day in day out slandering and hate mongering
you never care about truth and your strongest points are insults, provocations and spreading rumors. that's enough to prove that whether or not you're paid, your intentions are pernicious
21 August 2013, 13:49
112
cedre, it is quite odd your reasoning ... especially seeing as how you're on naharnet, to posit that the images accompanying articles are to be taken as factual ? Just look at the image of this article we're chatting on, it's "a U.S. Army soldier during a training mission near Camp Ramadi, Iraq, Sept. 25, 2007.", not to mention most other articles are of the same nature.
Besides, none of your links deny reports of the massacre. The first only reiterates the claim of such an incident, and the other focuses on the image.
21 August 2013, 14:22
512
well to the stupid mowaten and his supporters:
those unconfirmed reports have confirmed to be true.
what have you to say about this criminal regime and his associates?
21 August 2013, 15:58
72
lol indeed geha, it all depends on how you define "confirmed"
if it means you got all the crazy jihadis yelling at the same time, then yes it's confirmed.
but if confirmed mean tangible evidence, concurring reports from different sources, or independent confirmation, then no, it is by no means confirmed.
21 August 2013, 16:41
41
FakeCatcher: maybe you havent been following, but there are many cases where we see on video fake wounded people, or dead people getting up once they think the camera is off. there are also cases where nusra used chemical weapons, and they were caught in possession of chemical shells in turkey, so if the dead are real the killers are unknown until any proof is available.
all you have "confirmed" now, is that there are some people on the floor, who are dead or pretending to be dead. bravo.
21 August 2013, 17:33
12
no one is saying that the islamists are not terrorists and that they have not committed huge crimes. I do not know of M14 forumers that support the islamists. However I know many of M8 forumers that support the regimes that has shown many a times he terrorist actions against civilians.
21 August 2013, 17:43
61
you guys sound like you were there and counted 1300 bodies yourself after seeing the regimes airplanes throwing what you tested and confirmed was chemical weapons.
in fact you just heard some crazy fanatics yelling all sorts of crazy accusations and showing videos of a few dozens of people lying on the ground.
i find it interesting also that this happens exactly two days after the arrival of UN inspectors, as if bashar was doing everything he could to incriminate himself!!
21 August 2013, 18:13
41
the UN team is there through an agreement with the government. why the heck would he have them come and use chemical weapons two days after they arrive? think people, THINK!
it's clearly staged to get an international reaction, only braindead people can't see that.
21 August 2013, 19:02
31
FakeCatcher: there are no such things as their "own neighborhoods", their own neighborhoods are in Libya, Chechnya, Saudi, Egypt, Afghanistan and so forth! They have been slaughtering people who were from different religions as much as people from their own religion for not being extremists, so dont give me this cheap excuse as supposed proof that they are behind the attack.
anonymetexas: i dont work with "ifs" and "maybes", i look at facts and circumstances and try to analyze them rationally. so your question has no interest at this point.
21 August 2013, 11:12
614
These bastards NEED TO BE STOPPED, enough shia genocide of the christian & sunni freedom lovers, ENOUGH you genocidal KOHAMNI WORSHIPERS
21 August 2013, 14:57
39
Geha is right. France 24 tv channel reported 1150 death. Hezbollah must be extatic, so is his unconditional war criminal Michel Aoun.
21 August 2013, 15:16
26
OMG , god dam you kohamni you blood thirsty killer & your followers
21 August 2013, 15:17
24
OMG , god dam you kohamni you blood thirsty killer & your followers
21 August 2013, 18:37
41
The Syrian "Government" forces have killed more of their own people in the last couple of weeks than the "Zionist enemy" has done in 65 years, but still everyone in the Arab world, and quite a lot here in the western world still see Israel as the terrorist.
How much more absurd than that can people get?
21 August 2013, 11:03
152
It seems to me they're trying to exploit the current hype surrounding banned chemicals amid the UN inspectors' probes. Just because they lost a battle doesn't mean banned weapons were used. They're just trying to stir up some things.
Eliminating dozens of combatants requires no unconventional weapons. When Saddam use VX/sarin/etc. the death toll was in the thousands. A modest chemicals test left 5000 civilians dead. That's a chemical weapons attack, not dozens dead.
21 August 2013, 11:47
123
banima3roof.., indeed a tragedy, and I am fully of the opinion that the perpetrators must be tried for war-crimes for any banned weapons use. Indeed a shame.
21 August 2013, 12:17
141
starsky, agreed on all counts. My problem is with the evidence and investigations; although a corollary, I simply cannot accept unfounded accusation of a bad person of doing something bad just because it is of his or her nature to do so. Factual evidence is necessary, and I have the feeling we will get some in the coming weeks as UN inspectors wrap up their investigations.
You'd also need to consider rebels have seized large arms depots, and perhaps due to a lack of training in handling or some such, lead to this mess. Though highly unlikely, truly, I believe so. But as I said, arguing senselessly, endlessly and basing grave judgement on personal assessments falls short of being convincing.
Again, I will heed the words of UN inspectors, Åke Sellström is credible. Scientists are more trustworthy than most, especially an independents from a country renowned for its neutrality.
21 August 2013, 12:18
311
endless: stop trying to hide what you are! Perpetrators??? You do not know who they are that used chemical weapons today? His name is ASSAD and his ally is Nassrallah. Does that help? Go see the pictures of tens maybe hundreds of children who just died inhaling these deadly gases! here is a link for you
http://www.alarabiya.net/ar/arab-and-world/syria/2013/08/21/الغازات-السامة-تخلّف-مجزرة-في-زملكا-وعين-ترما-بريف-دمشق.html
http://www.aljazeera.net/news/pages/59f8ad8b-0699-4d3a-9741-d33fd44b8bfb
21 August 2013, 12:33
131
justice, maybes do no good, and the fallacious appeal to emotion approach is of no substantive value. Cite credible news outlets like reuters, the guardian, the independent, and such others. Your source is akin to the dailymail.
I am not denying at all nor in the slightest the loss of innocent life at the hands of Al-Assad, and while hard to reconcile such events with an optimistic mind encapsulating a prosperous world living in peace and harmony, they must be acknowledged as a beastly, grim reality of war.
What I doubt here, and it seems folks are missing this, is the use of --chemical weapons-- and nothing more or less. In light of no proof I cannot but condemn the slaughter without any jurisdiction in fairness to myself to accuse anyone with the use of banned chemical weapons.
21 August 2013, 12:57
112
justice, dude, I'm not saying Al-Assad isn't a brutal dictator, I'm not saying innocent lives aren't being senselessly revoked, I'm not saying this was unavoidable, I'm not saying they were collateral, I'm not saying Al-Assad is innocent nor the FSA. I'm not saying it didn't happen, just that I can't categorically say it did, although it does seem likely for now. Applying the most superficial understanding of Occam's Razor would however imply chemical weapons use. Again though, no stance due to lack of empirical evidence.
"Syrian opposition activists claim.
It is not possible to independently verify the claims."
Can you now understand my hesitance to believe?
Hamish de Bretton-Gordon's stance on things is the correct approach. UN investigators should head there and investigate to the fullest extent and the world put forth the necessary decisions regarding findings. What else could a reasonable person implore?
21 August 2013, 13:09
134
also, be sure to forget that nusra boys were caught with chemical weapons and are highly suspected to be behind the attack in khan al assal
the syrian army doesnt need to use those, and it only serves one purpose: try to get foreign powers to intervene.
21 August 2013, 15:02
16
What needs to be done is simple. Judge the manufacturer of the chemical weapons whichever country he comes from. Selling such deadly weapons to such regimes is not acceptable. It can be compared to selling a rifle to a 5 year old.
21 August 2013, 11:17
40
Why comment if you are going to repeat what has been said thousands of times. The rhetoric of both parties is beaten to death by indoctrinated masses.
21 August 2013, 11:43
61
I suppose I ask to much from an uneducated and impoverished land. Asking for free thinking from you is the equivalent of asking a mentally ill person to learn differential equations.
21 August 2013, 13:24
102
At least, 100 takfirists killed in Damascus Reef
good news for the christians
21 August 2013, 13:32
83
I looked at several news sites like CNN, BBC, Reuters and so forth and they all state that the information is not yet verified.
If the Syrian regime did not use Chemical weapons in this attack, it should facilitate UN access to the site. If it does not, then it has something to hide.
There is also the possibility of a set up by the Takfiris. What if THEY used the Chemicals to frame the regime? Valuing human life is not exactly the Takfiris forte.
Either ways, the regime is the big loser here and the probability of direct Western intervention in the Syrian mess just increased by a notch.
21 August 2013, 14:00
19
@ endless : read the bloody articles, the first is from 2012 and show afgan kids killed by nato bombing. The second, it's the same picture, with the official iranian agency FARCE News stating it's a massacre of syrian kurdish kids. Thats qom-taqiya.
----> "Nine tenths (90%) of religion (Shiism) is Taqiyya (dissimulation), hence one who does not dissimulate has no religion." (Al-Kafi vol.9 p.110).
21 August 2013, 14:06
91
cedre, I've bloody read them. And my post addresses your claims adequately. 1. The image is fake, but no one's denying the massacre.
2. Images are not to be taken factually either, as exemplified by most naharnet articles. You seem upset, calm down. I'm also baffled as to why you posted the last half of the post? Relevance?
21 August 2013, 14:39
91
I see.
"PYD political and media sources, on the contrary, told Kurdpress that they have gathered enough documents and pictures which prove mass killings by Nusra rebels."
"PYD added it would only deliver the documents to Europe human rights centers."
Well then, an impasse. Honestly though I am inclined to believe your side of the story, in that it most likely did not occur and that the PYD is probably pursuing political gains unless it provides credible counter-evidence. No need to exert further effort though, especially seeing as how you said PYD has denied it themselves; thanks for the clarification!
freedom, of course I do, and what isn't? I'm sadly eternally condemned to being fettered to the internet, and so make time for it as I use the computer (which is always). And I do not 'suspect naharnet credibility'. Images are a different story however (e.g.http://www.naharnet.com/stories/en/91459).
21 August 2013, 15:35
42
Been there. Heard that. And when one UN representative identified the real culprits, the loud mouths suddenly shut up and the UN took a vacation thereby absolving the Sanni, as always, terrorists of their never-ending crimes.
21 August 2013, 15:37
43
where are all the condemnation by holier than thou altitude people when the rebels were cutting the heads of the priest and 2 weeks ago when the were executing 2 young kids, by firing squads
21 August 2013, 15:54
22
The news is not yet verified because the minute that it is verified then the international community must do something with this Assad Regime and the fact of the matter is that they are unwilling to do so. Therefore, the hide their unwillingness to act, even in light of the use of poisonous gas with the mantra, "its not yet verified".
Its a shame on the whole world. The Syrian people are cousins and relatives to the Lebanese. The Assad Regime has turned the country over to Iranians who have no problem with gas attacks. They were used in the Iran - Iraq War by Saddam to kill Iranians. Maybe this is Irans way of repaying the Arabs for that atrocity with this one.
21 August 2013, 16:51
11
@anonymetexasusa - They all looked pretty dead in the videos and there was no blood. I've read the reports in the Washington Post and NYT which carry what appears to be on the scene accounts of mothers watching their babies die in the eastern suburbs of Damascus where the FSA has some strong holds. Was it a gas attack? Sure sounds like it.
Analyists are puzzled as to why Assad would have this done while UN inspectors are in country investigating gas attacks. It would seem audacious to execute such an attack while inspectors are present. Machiavelli Rules though would dictate that you do the audacious because no one would believe that you would.
21 August 2013, 17:00
21
...BREAKING NEWS...
They started by calling the names of individuals in those areas, one by one, checking those who said "7ader" and highlighting the others. By the time they reached a total of 1300 "mou 7ader" the battery on the horn had already died. The tally shall continue tomorrow. Stay tuned for updates, you itchy dudes.
21 August 2013, 18:39
11
If at a time like this people still defend, doubt, cast shadows, pretend and defend the Syrian regime, than the Arab world deserves what it gets. They could continue to rely on the West, the UN and allow Russia to disrupt a system designed to fail, or the Arab nations could take matters in their own hands, for the first time, and create a deterring force to enter Syria and stop all that is happening. To the idiots who comment on this site, this is not a war any more between Al Nusra, or FSA or the regime, this is a catastrophe effecting 20 million people that must end. For once, let the Arab League be useful, they could take matters into their own hand and stop this. If not, well, stop bitching and accept the consequences.
21 August 2013, 19:15
10
@m.c. Yours is quite the true and accurate statement. And I'd go further to say that if the accusation is proven true that the gassing of these people was done by the Assad Regime, then the Assad Regime, alone is not to be held responsible. But all who have enabled the Regime would have blood on their hands as well. On the inner ring is Hezbollah, Iran and Russia and as the circle widens, then those who could have stopped this thing before it got to this point bear equal blame. This would include the Obama Administration which had said that if chemical weapons were moved, not used but moved, that would be a red line. Well if these weapons were moved, put on planes and dropped on people and killed this many with Obama sitting on his hands, then this is on his head too.
21 August 2013, 22:48
01
Well said Anon. I agree 100%.
Beiruti, you are a smart guy, however it appears your American political views are influencing your comments. I take it you are a Republican? Would you rather have Bush than Obama? Significant American action has to follow a certain arc, including more concrete proof, to justify the type of involvement you are suggesting, which does not yet have American public support. Also the term "crossing a red line" is subject to interpretation. Obama has won approval from Congress to start arming the Syrian Opposition after concluding that Assad used chemical weapons. To most people, that decision was a direct result of crossing the "red line", and was an appropriate response.
21 August 2013, 19:32
00
@ everybody, stop hallucinating, whether march 14th or march 8th or march 20th, both camps are criminals and so are they in Syria. Use of chemical weapons? yes maybe, by both sides. Beheadings and massacres. Both sides. The international community will do nothing because there isnt an israeli go green light to strike Iran yet... And even with that they wont enter Syria, as soon as Bachar gets very weak, they will strike Lebanon for Hezbollah and Iran. Thats it thats all. Syria will stay as is , its an american plan to destroy both Chiite and Sunnites extremists that they created. Now Iran and Hezbollah have lots to think about other than israeli strikes. Its all part of the plan. No one will save no one.
21 August 2013, 19:37
00
@ everybody, I come on this forum and read some of your comments, sincerely, other than Mowaten, Flamethrower and Thephoenix1 and benzona with all due respect to their different point of views which i dont really share and even among eeach others dont share, but i find these people are the only ones educated or that talk with a bit of logic and over 15 years old on this site. For the rest, i feel like you could all go try to be a bit more realistic and stop watching grandizer, rambo and terminator. NOBODY WILL HELP NOBODY. Everyone even Hezbollah has its interests in fighting in syria and not for just the love of Bachar.
21 August 2013, 19:55
12
There is no valid excuse for killing ANY civilians....shame on the ones that refuse to see the truth of the butcher assad and cronies...
21 August 2013, 20:32
10
i am convinced you are either 12 or an idiot--probably both. maybe you should go to al akhbar for news that will make you look good.
21 August 2013, 22:16
00
I'm sure all the children were foreign terrorists, especially the infants. Everyone knows they are the most dangerous to a government with an air force, tanks and chemical weapons.
21 August 2013, 23:40
10
President, Mubarak Hussein Obama, where are you? Where is the so called "Red Line", or may be the alleged "Red Line" dissipated when you actually accepted and received a premature and undeserved "Nobel Peace Prize".
21 August 2013, 23:47
01
@peoplepower. Interesting peoplepower, but no I am not a Republican, in fact I am an elected public official, elected on the Democratic ticket. I have voted for Obama and defend him often to my various Fox News sycophants who rail against Obama for their delusional reasons. My problem with Obama is that he deliberates too much. Bush would not deliberate at all, which is worse. Action without thought, or thought without timely action.
What is America's interest? At some point national interest becomes secondary to our common humanity which knows no national border. When humans are indiscrimantly killed, at some point it is my interest because I am a human being, not an American or a Syrian or Lebanese but a human being. We have come to that point with how this war is being prosecuted where our common humanity has come into issue.
21 August 2013, 23:49
01
What can we in America do? Well we don't need to get into the issues that are being contested between the Syrian people, it is there war and their national issues to resolve and true, the US has no interest in that. But we can stop the atrocities and the crimes against humanity by at least sending over some cruise missiles, to bring down the Syrian airforce and let them know that this type of warfare will not be allowed as a means of resolving their national issues.
It is the use of chemical and biological weapons that makes this an international concern and once that has been disabled, then the international community no longer has an interest sufficient to warrant military action.
22 August 2013, 00:45
01
I guess if you witnessed it in your own eyes, you would still call it a mirage.
22 August 2013, 05:55
30
Come on you so called " opposition " !
How much of a bunch of Mass Murderers you are All & just proved it !
If the Police Authorities were investigating my place of residence for illegal arms or weapons it certainly would be a wrong time to use them so not not attract any attention on my household !
How conviniance got the better of things !
Ask the question just when the UN were in Syria to investigate the use of Chemical Weapons it all of a sudden was used ?
Ask who would ? Saudi Arabia ? USA ? Or even Israel ? They are the very people that are supporting the loose umbrella of the FSA !!
It is the hand from the pits of hell that doing this dispacable acts ! Yes ISRAEL, USA , KSA & the GCC States ! Why?
The MOSSADS are working overtime they are the ones that do not want HA to get their hands on such weapons , very logical , it is called a tip of balance of power in the region !
Hitler seems to have taught them well !
Signed Wolf ...
22 August 2013, 06:29
01
you support the regime and therefore you will find any thing to say that the massacre did not take place or someone else did it.
vidos and witness report are coming by the hours and any denial of this massacre is a crime in itself. Now lets wiat and see who has done this massacre.
22 August 2013, 06:16
30
Also not to forget to place the TURKISH GOVERNMENT up ther with this involvement in this massacre !!!!!
Signed Wolf .....
30 March 2014, 16:27
00
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