Syria air strikes: Russia denies tampering with suspected chemical attack site

Russia has denied interfering with evidence at the site of a suspected Syrian chemical weapons attack that drew Western military retaliation.

In an interview with BBC’s Hardtalk, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said: “I can guarantee that Russia has not tampered with the site.”

Concern about tampering was raised by the US envoy to the international chemical weapons watchdog.

International inspectors are trying to reach the site in Douma, near Damascus.

The watchdog, the OPCW (Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons), has been meeting behind closed doors in The Hague to discuss the alleged attack on 7 April.

In other developments:

The US is expected to announce fresh economic sanctions against Russia

EU foreign ministers meeting in Luxembourg said they understood the air strikes had had “the sole objective” of preventing further use of chemical weapons by the Syrian government

UK PM Theresa May is to make a statement to Parliament after the opposition said it was wrong to have launched military action without consulting MPs

The French parliament is to discuss the air strikes

What happened in Douma?

The suspected attack, denied by Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s government, reportedly killed dozens of people in Douma, in the Eastern Ghouta region.

Two bombs filled with chemicals were reportedly dropped several hours apart on the town.

Syrian medical sources say bodies were found foaming at the mouth, and with discoloured skin and cornea burns.

US sources said they had obtained blood and urine samples from victims which had tested positive for chlorine and a nerve agent.

Control over the town has since passed from rebels to the Syrian and Russian military authorities.

What did Lavrov say exactly?

Kenneth Ward, US envoy to the OPCW, said: “It is our understanding the Russians may have visited the attack site.

“We are concerned they may have tampered with it with the intent of thwarting the efforts of the OPCW Fact-Finding Mission to conduct an effective investigation.”

Speaking to the BBC, the Russian foreign minister denied chemical weapons had been used in Douma.

“I cannot be impolite with the heads of other states, but you quoted the leaders of France and the UK and US and, frankly speaking, all the evidence they quoted was based on media reports and social media.”

The event did not take place, he said. “What did take place was the staged thing,” he added.

Mr Lavrov also questioned why the US and its allies had carried out air strikes the day before international inspectors were due to arrive at the site.

On the air strikes, he repeated the Russian assertion that two-thirds of the more than 100 missiles fired into Syria on Saturday had failed to reach their targets.

What was targeted on Saturday?

The US says 105 missiles were launched and it believes none were intercepted by Syrian defences. It says Syria’s chemical weapons programme has been set back years.

The Russians say 71 missiles were shot down by Syrian systems.

One of the three sites hit was the Barzeh complex, which the US says was a centre for development, production and testing of chemical and biological weapons, although Syria denies this.

The other two were suspected chemical weapons facilities at Him Shinshar near Homs.

Are US forces staying on the ground in Syria?

French President Emmanuel Macron said on Sunday he had persuaded US President Donald Trump not to pull troops out of Syria and instead commit “for the long-term”.

The US has some 2,000 troops in eastern Syria, mainly supporting the fight against the Islamic State group.

But soon after Mr Macron’s comments, White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders said an early exit was still desirable.

“The US mission has not changed – the president has been clear that he wants US forces to come home as quickly as possible.”

Mr Macron said later that France and the US shared the same aim in Syria: the defeat of the Islamic State group.

“The White House is right to recall that the military engagement is against Daesh [IS] and will finish the day that the war against Daesh has been completed,” he said. “France has the same position.”

Source: bbc.com