Syrian army accused of chemical attack that killed 49 people

The Syrian American Medical Society (SAMS) and rebel forces in Eastern Ghouta, a suburb of the capital Damascus, issued a joint statement yesterday, claiming that the Syrian government army used chemical weapons, killing at least 49 people in this area. The Syrian government denied the accusation, saying that the rebels spread false information when cornered.Reutersreport

Syrian troops, backed by Russian air power, are trying to retake Eastern Ghouta from rebels. Opposition forces say air strikes are resuming on the area, despite a ceasefire deal with the Syrian government and Russia.The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SORH) said this was one of the fiercest military campaigns in the seven-year civil war in Syria, killing more than 1,600 civilians.

"The Syrian government has a history of using chemical weapons against its own people. If this is true, Washington demands an immediate response from the international community," the US State Department said in a statement after receiving allegations of a chemical attack in Eastern Ghouta. However, Western sources have not been able to verify this allegation.

The US administration is said to have discussed in early March the possibility of launching a new offensive campaign against Syria in response to the alleged use of chemical weapons by Damascus. The meeting came after reports that the weapons were used in the government army's offensive in the Eastern Ghouta town on February 25. Many victims showed symptoms consistent with exposure to chlorine and one child died.