Syria denies US allegations of coming chemical attack

Source: Associated Press




By PHILIP ISSA and JILL COLVIN
24 minutes ago

BEIRUT (AP) — The involvement of external powers in the Syrian war continued to accelerate Tuesday as President Bashar Assad’s government and Russia dismissed White House allegations that it was preparing a new chemical weapons attack.

Hours later activists reported an airstrike on an Islamic State-run jail in eastern Syria that they said killed more than 40 prisoners and was carried out by the U.S.-led coalition.

The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said at least 15 militants were also killed in the airstrike that happened on Monday in the Deir El-Zour province. The activist-run Deir Ezzor 24 media outlet said at least 60 civilians were killed. Russia and Syria also carry out airstrikes in Deir el-Zour, and it was not clear how the activists identified the aircraft responsible. The coalition could not immediately be reached for comment.

Ali Haidar, the Syrian minister for national reconciliation, meanwhile dismissed a White House statement Monday that warned Syrian President Bashar Assad’s government against carrying out another chemical attack. Haidar told The Associated Press the charges foreshadowed a new diplomatic campaign against Syria at the U.N.

Read more: https://apnews.com/ac7c502864044325b124be9c76994127/Syria-denies-US-allegations-of-coming-chemical-attack