Syria militants behind Syria ‘Chemical’ attack: report

Intelligence reports say foreign-backed militants fighting against the Syrian government have carried out the chemical attack that killed 25 people in the northwestern city of Aleppo.

The preliminary investigation suggests that the chemical weapon used in the attack was a lachrymatory agent, not a nerve agent, and that the deaths were caused by suffocating on chlorine-based gas that was injected into a rocket.

The use lachrymatory agent, which is a lower-tech solution, suggests that foreign backed militants in Syria have developed the capability to make crude, but lethal, chemical agent devices of their own.

Analysts believe that if this sort of warfare is to become a regular part of the militant’s arsenal, the death toll could be catastrophic.

At least 25 people were killed and 86 others injured after militants fired missiles containing poisonous gases into Aleppo’s Khan al-Assal village. Women and children were among the victims.

On Wednesday, Syria’s Ambassador to the UN Bashar Ja’afari demanded from “the United Nations to form a specialized and independent and neutral, technical mission to investigate the use by the terrorist groups operating in Syria of chemical weapons” in the country.

Syria has blamed countries supporting the militants for the attack, saying not only do such states militarize them, but also plan and take decisions on their behalf.

Syria has been experiencing unrest since March 2011. Many people, including large numbers of Syrian army and security personnel, have been killed in the violence.

Several international human rights organizations have accused foreign-sponsored militants of committing war crimes in Syria.