(AFP)Beirut: Dozens of Syrians choked to death after a suspected chemical attack on the rebel-held suburb of Douma, east of Damascus, with aid groups blaming President Bashar al-Assad's government for the assault. The Syrian state denied government forces had launched any chemical attack and Russia, Assad's most powerful ally, called the reports bogus. It was not possible to independently verify the reports because Douma is surrounded by Syrian government forces, preventing access by journalists, aid workers and investigators. The US said it was working to verify that chemical weapons had been used. A new, confirmed chemical attack in Syria would pose a dilemma for President Donald Trump, who had ordered military strikes on a Syrian airbase after a chemical attack last year to punish Assad but has more recently said he wants the US out of Syria.

Source: The Telegraph April 08, 2018 21:11 UTC