BEIRUT (AP) — The Latest on the White House saying it has “potential” evidence that Syria’s government is preparing another chemical weapons attack (all times local):
12:45 p.m.
A Syrian minister has dismissed a White House statement alleging that President Bashar Assad’s government is preparing a new chemical weapons attack, saying Damascus has not and will not use such arms.
Ali Haidar, the 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 U.N.
The U.S. holds Assad’s government responsible for two sarin gas attacks that together killed hundreds of civilians in 2013 and earlier this year.
The White House statement on Monday night was made without forewarning and caught State Department officials by surprise.
___
3 a.m.
The White House has issued a stern warning to Syrian President Bashar Assad, claiming “potential” evidence that Syria was preparing for another chemical weapons attack.
In an ominous statement issued late Monday with no supporting evidence or further explanation, Press Secretary Sean Spicer said the U.S. 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.”
He said the activities were similar to preparations taken before an April 2017 attack that killed dozens of men, women and children, and warned that if “Mr. Assad conducts another mass murder attack using chemical weapons, he and his military will pay a heavy price.”
The White House offered no details on what prompted the warning.
COMMENTS
Please let us know if you're having issues with commenting.