OPCW, UN Should Probe Recent Syrian Chemical Weapons Attack Reports

The US wants the (OPCW) and the UN to investigate allegations of recent chemical attacks in Syria even though Washington has not seen conclusive evidence to back up the claims, US Department of State deputy spokesperson Mark Toner said in a press briefing on Thursday.

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) — On Wednesday, Russian Center for Syrian Reconciliation commander Lt. Gen. Sergei Chvarkov stated that the opposition group Harakat Nour al-Din al-Zenki used poisonous gas in Aleppo city on August 2.

"[We] are looking into these allegations as well as the allegations of chlorine gas that was used by the regime in the town of Saraqib," Toner told reporters. "We would call on the OPCW [Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons] as well as the UN to use existing mechanisms to investigate these allegations thoroughly."

According to media reports, dozens of people were affected by toxic gas dropped in the Idlib province city of Saraqib on Monday.

The United States, Toner explained, has not yet seen conclusive evidence to suggest that either attack took place. When asked, Toner stressed that "we want to see both investigated."

Toner also noted that Moscow had alerted Washington of the second report, explaining that he was unaware of the briefing when asked on Wednesday.

On January 4, the OPCW announced that all chemical weapons in Syria that had been declared by Damascus had been destroyed. In April, reports emerged that Daesh militants could be using and producing chemical weapons in the country.