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Syrian government accused of new poison gas attack

Syrian government accused of new poison gas attack

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WIKIPEDIA Syrian flag
WIKIPEDIA Syrian flag

Syria has been accused of using poison gas to attack a rebel-held town, despite agreeing to dismantle its chemical weapons and production facilities earlier this year, reports Reuters. Activists opposing the Assad regime tell Reuters that they found victims in the town Nabak who had swollen limbs and were foaming at the mouth. They said that two shells filled with gas were dropped there on Thursday, and that seven were dead at the scene. Another group, the Syrian Revolution Coordinators Union, reported nine casualties and also accused the regime of using poison gas. US officials reportedly hadn't confirmed the attacks as of last night.

Syria has been under intense pressure to end its chemical weapons program. The United States called chemical weapons a "red line" and began preparing for a missile strike on Syria after a major attack in August reportedly left hundreds dead. Since then, Syria has been beginning to cooperate with the United Nations — it was believed to have destroyed all of its chemical weapon production facilities, and a mid-2014 date was eyed for the destruction of its remaining arsenal. Should accusations of a new attack turn out to be accurate, we could once again begin seeing the US consider placing significant pressure on Syria to end the attacks.