BICOM

Reports from Syrian rebels that a chemical weapons attack may have killed hundreds on the outskirts of Damascus yesterday morning, have been met by a chorus international shock and calls for UN inspectors to be permitted access to verify the claim.

White House Press spokesman Josh Earnest said in a statement yesterday that the “United States is deeply concerned by reports that hundreds of Syrian civilians have been killed in an attack by Syrian government forces, including by the use of chemical weapons, near Damascus earlier today. We are formally requesting that the United Nations urgently investigate this new allegation. The UN investigative team, which is currently in Syria, is prepared to do so, and that is consistent with its purpose and mandate.”

UK Foreign Secretary William Hague said that if confirmed the attacks would mark a “shocking escalation in the use of chemical weapons in Syria”, and that Britain was “urgently seeking more information”.

The Arab League and European Union echoed the call for the inspectors to go to the site: “The EU reiterates that any use of chemical weapons, by any side in Syria, would be totally unacceptable,” said a spokesperson for EU foreign affairs head Catherine Ashton.

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon expressed his shock at reports of alleged use of chemical weapons in Syria’s Damascus suburbs.  Deputy Secretary-General Jan Eliasson told reporters outside the Council chamber: “We see the need to investigate this as soon as possible; no matter what the conclusions, this represents a serious escalation with grave humanitarian and human consequences.”

Meanwhile, the US, UK and France are among some 35 member states that have signed a letter calling for the UN inspectors that are already investigating three sites of alleged chemical weapons use in Syria to probe the latest incident as soon as possible.

A strongly worded UN Security Council statement, which would have echoed the above letter, was blocked by Russia and China yesterday. The Russian foreign ministry has noted that reports of an attack emerged just as the 20-member UN chemical weapons team, led by Swedish expert Ake Sellstrom had arrived in Syria, saying, “This makes us think that we are once again dealing with a premeditated provocation”.