West leading ‘campaign of lies’ on chemicals in Syria: Damascus

Damascus has denounced a recent statement by the US and its European allies, which blamed the Syrian government for an alleged chemical attack in the town of Khan Shaykhun last year, saying “the colonial western countries are leading a campaign of lies.”

A source at the Syrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates said on Thursday that the US and its allies actually impeded an impartial and objective investigation into the allegations of  a possible use of chemical weapons in the Arab country, SANA news agency reported.

“Such investigation unveils their lies, fabrications and involvement along with the terrorist groups in using this weapon to accuse the Syrian state, “ the source added.

On April 4, 2017, a suspected sarin gas attack hit the town of Khan Shaykhun in Syria’s Idlib Province, killing more than 80 people.

The Western countries rushed to blame the incident on Damascus, with the US launching a missile attack against Shayrat Airbase in Syria’s Homs Province on April 7, 2017.

Washington claimed that the air field had been the origin of the chemical attack. Damascus, however, said the Khan Shaykhun incident was a fabrication to justify the subsequent US missile strike.

We only allow ‘impartial’ chemical probe

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad says his country will only allow an “impartial” probe into a recent suspected chemical attack in Homs Province.

UK Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson, French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian, German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas and US Acting Secretary John Sullivan issued a joint statement on Wednesday, marking the first anniversary of the Khan Shaykhun incident.

They claimed that the Syrian government forces had unleashed the gas attack “with tragic consequences for hundreds of men, women and children.”

The Syrian Foreign Ministry source described the statement as “a continuation of the campaign of misleading and lies since the beginning of aggression” on the Middle Eastern state.

،he US, Britain, France and Germany, the source said, are the main sponsors of the war on Syria through providing all types of political, military, financial and logistic support for anti-Damascus militants.

The source further referred to the confiscation of chemical substance at terrorists’ hideouts in the Damascus suburb of Eastern Ghouta, saying the find “uncovered the goals of the hysteric campaign led by the hostile countries to protect the terrorist groups and conceal their full partnership with terrorism.”

The Syrian nation and army are determined to completely eradicate terrorism and preserve the country’s sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity, he pointed out.

Syria turned over its entire chemical stockpile under a deal negotiated by Russia and the United States back in 2013.