A particularly serious connection
Russia threatens military confrontation with the United States in Syria and sanctions.
The US state Department in an unprecedented categorically laid on Russia the responsibility for the alleged Syrian use of chemical weapons by government forces. And the President, trump warned that the support of Damascus, Russia “will have to pay a higher price.” Against the background of deepening crisis in Russian-American relations the US demonstrate a determination to go to further deteriorate, threatening a direct military confrontation with Russia in Syria. Also, according to a source “” close to the US state Department, this week the White house will host a discussion of new sanctions against Russia. Keynote speaker — known for its radicalism Advisor to the President of the trump John Bolton.
Of a chemical attack in a controlled grouping “Jaish al-Islam” in the Syrian city of Duma, located in Eastern ghouta, 10 km from Damascus, announced on Saturday, several non-governmental organizations, including the White helmets, known for his irreconcilable attitude towards the Syrian authorities.
“The attack was suffocated by 70 people, hundreds more are in critical condition,” — said the head of “White helmets” Raed al-Saleh. In his version, a bomb with nerve gas sarin were dropped by the helicopter of the Syrian air force (in the number of reports also mentioned the use of bombs with chlorine). In this regard, non-governmental organizations supporting the Syrian opposition, posted a shocking photo and video from the scene of the tragedy.
“We do not speculate, we saw the video. Frothing at the mouth people, what looked like their eyes, indicate that in the Duma the chemical attack”, — said “Kommersant” the official representative of one of the most influential organizations of the Syrian opposition, based in Riyadh, the Higher Committee on negotiations, Yahya al-Aridi. “The United States has previously stated that it would take action if Syria used chemical weapons”, — he reminded, adding that “to punish a murderer is not a crime”. According to him, “most of all for the tragedy of Russia was responsible covering the Syrian regime”.
In Damascus and Moscow categorically denied the information about the new use of chemical weapons in Eastern ghouta, calling the bomb with poison gas fake.
“The terrorists of “Jaish al-Islam” are in a state of collapse, and the media has fabricated reports of a chemical attack to disrupt the progress of the Syrian army,” the statement said the Syrian government Agency Sana.
“The purpose of these false speculation, do not have any reason to shield the terrorists and the uncompromising radical opposition, refusing a political settlement, at the same time trying to justify possible military strikes from the outside,” said Sunday the Ministry of foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation.
Last week at a joint press conference with President of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdogan following Russian-Turkish talks about the likelihood of staged himataki in Syria, said Russian President Vladimir Putin.
“We have obtained irrefutable evidence of training militants provocations with the use of toxic substances”, — said Vladimir Putin.
Amid conflicting versions of the incident in the city Duma noteworthy that the alleged chemical attack was preceded by an unexpected breach by the militant group “Jaish al-Islam” truce with government forces, which occurred last Friday.
“For the past two days for the residential areas of the capital issued 25 min. and rockets, which killed 7 and injured 42 civilians. The intensity of the attacks increases,” — said on Saturday the head of the Russian center for reconciliation of the warring parties in Syria the General-major Yury Evtushenko.
According to the Russian military, the new escalation in Eastern ghouta, which has already begun hitting the conclusion from the Duma fighters and their family members, occurred after the group “Jaish al-Islam” was replaced by senior management. According to the statements of Yuri Yevtushenko, the struggle for power in the leadership of the group over the physical elimination of its previous leaders, Abu Humam, Abu Omar and Abu Ali, and then the “Jaish al-Islam” led by different even more intransigence, Abu Qusay (source “b” in “Jaish al-Islam” version of the split in its leadership deny).
During the war in Syria, the incident in the city Duma was not the first time that the Syrian opposition and its supporting external forces accused Damascus of using chemical weapons. At the moment the UN is investigating 33 cases of use of chemical weapons that occurred in the country over the past five years. Previous large-scale chemical attack in Eastern ghouta was committed in August of 2013, when its victims, according to various sources, steel from 300 to 1.7 million people. And in April 2017 the chemical attack was subjected to opposition-controlled city of Khan shaykhun (Idlib).
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Meanwhile, the incident in the city Duma is distinguished by the fact that it occurred against the background of deepening crisis in Russia’s relations with the US and the West in General came to a new level in connection with the “business Skripal”. No accident that one of the first accusations against Russia in connection with the alleged himachali in Eastern ghouta were made by the British foreign office.
“We call on the Assad regime and its supporters, Russia and Iran, to stop the violence against innocent civilians,” — said in a statement released by the British diplomatic corps.
And the British foreign Secretary Boris Johnson on Sunday made a separate statement, placing the main blame for the ongoing himataki in Syria. “Despite made by Russia in 2013, a promise that Syria will give up chemical weapons, acting on behalf of the UN international group of experts determined that in 2014 the Assad regime at least four times has used poison gas”, — he said.
In turn, the US state Department in an unprecedented categorically laid on Russia the responsibility for the incident in the Duma. The official representative of the American foreign Ministry Heather Nauert promised that the US “will spare no effort to prosecute those who use chemical weapons in Syria and elsewhere”.