Russian MoD: Daesh Plans to Use Chemical Weapons Against US-Backed Kurdish Units

According to the Russian Ministry of Defence, militants of the Daesh terrorist groups were planning an attack on the Kurdish troops Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in order to provoke an airstrike by the US-led coalition against the Syrian Arab Army in the region.

The Russian Defence Ministry stated that Daesh had set up the production of the shells using toxic agents at a plant in Deir ez-Zor province. According to the ministry, 11 terrorists, who had been trained in other countries, were filling the shells with toxic agents.

'The manufactured chemical munitions are intended for firing on positions of the Kurdish SDF, which are conducting, with the support of the United States, military operations against terrorists in the area of the settlement of Hajin in Deir ez-Zor province’, the statement read.

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Moscow warned that the terrorists planned to 'carry out a strike against the SDF from the area nearby Syrian pro-government units', in order to frame the Syrian Arab Army.

The Russian military previously pointed out that various militant groups and anti-government organisations, including the 'White Helmets', have staged poison gas attacks or used toxic agents in order to blame Damascus for using chemical weapons and prompt military strikes against the Syrian forces.

The US-led coalition includes 70 countries that have been conducting airstrikes against terrorist groups in Syria, in particular Deir ez-Zor province. The Syrian government, however, has repeatedly accused the coalition of killing civilians during the operations and deliberately using white phosphorus, which is banned by the UN.