MUSIC

Monday, August 26, 2013

Syria crisis: UN inspectors renew chemical attack probe

UN weapons inspectors in the western district of Muadhamiya. 26 Aug 2013
The UN team spoke to witnesses and survivors in Muadhamiya

UN chemical weapons inspectors are due to start a second day of investigations into last week's attacks in the suburbs of the Syrian capital, Damascus.

The UN team came under sniper fire as they tried to visit an area west of the city on Monday.

The US and its allies are considering military strikes on Syria, although Russia - Syria's ally - has warned against this.

Both the Syrian government and rebels have blamed each other for the attacks.

Medical charity Medecins Sans Frontieres said three hospitals it supports in the Damascus area had treated about 3,600 patients with "neurotoxic symptoms" last Wednesday, of whom 355 died.

In the most forceful US reaction yet, US Secretary of State John Kerry said on Monday there was there was "undeniable" evidence of a chemical attack.

US officials said there was "little doubt" that President Bashar al-Assad's government was to blame.

UN inspectors spent nearly three hours in the western district of Muadhamiya on Monday where they visited two hospitals and interviewed survivors, eyewitnesses and doctors.

A UN spokesman said they had collected some samples.

Earlier in the day, the UN convoy came under fire by unidentified snipers and was forced to turn back before resuming its journey.

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon condemned the shooting and asked the UN team in Syria to register a complaint.

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