www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-21841217
Syrian rebels and the government have accused each other of firing chemical weapons, reportedly killing at least 25 people in the north of the country.
A Syrian minister said it was a "dangerous escalation" and the "first act" of a new rebel authority.
However, both a chemical weapons monitoring body and the US said there was no evidence they had been used.
Both sides say the attack happened in the Khan al-Assal region north of the second city, Aleppo.
The US says it is looking carefully at the allegations, while Russia has backed the Syrian government's claims.
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Analysis
image of Jonathan Marcus Jonathan Marcus BBC Diplomatic Correspondent
At this stage it is impossible to verify if a chemical weapon has been used in northern Syria or indeed who may have fired one. The government and the rebels both accuse each other.
Given Syria's extensive chemical weapons arsenal there have long been fears that either the government forces might use such weapons or that they might fall into the hands of Syrian opposition fighters. The exact status of Syria's arsenal which includes blister agents like mustard and persistent nerve agents like Sarin is unclear.
There have been periodic "scares" when Western intelligence agencies claimed to see activity at weapons depots, but so far there has been no hard evidence that chemical warheads have been delivered to the units that might fire them.
US President Barack Obama has made it clear that the use of such weapons would represent a "red line", which if crossed would lead to serious consequences.
remember this in jan?
www.cyberwarnews.info/reports/a-look-int...nce-data-leak-files/
Phil
We’ve got a new offer. It’s about Syria again. Qataris propose an attractive deal and swear that the idea is approved by Washington.
We’ll have to deliver a CW to Homs, a Soviet origin g-shell from Libya similar to those that Assad should have.
They want us to deploy our Ukrainian personnel that should speak Russian and make a video record.
Frankly, I don’t think it’s a good idea but the sums proposed are enormous. Your opinion?
Kind regards
David
