BEIRUT: The Syrian government on Tuesday dismissed White House allegations that it was preparing a new chemical weapons attack, as activists reported an air strike on a Daesh-run jail in eastern Syria that they said killed more than 40 prisoners.
A Syrian government official on Tuesday rejected the White House’s assertion that “potential” evidence showed that the regime of President Bashar Al Assad was preparing for a chemical weapons attack.
The denial came after White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer said the US had “identified potential preparations for another chemical weapons attack by the Assad regime that would likely result in the mass murder of civilians, including innocent children”.
The statement was issued on Monday night with no supporting evidence or further explanation.
Ali Haidar, the Syrian minister for national reconciliation, told The Associated Press on Tuesday that the White House statement foreshadowed a “diplomatic battle” that would be waged against Syria in the halls of the UN.
Meanwhile, the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said at least 15 terrorists were also killed in the air strike that happened on Monday in Deir Al Zor province. The activist-run Deir Ezzor 24 media outlet said at least 60 civilians were killed. The two groups said the US-led coalition was behind the strike.
Russia and Syria also carry out air strikes in Deir Al Zor, and it was not clear how the activists identified the aircraft.
