Syria warns rebels may use chemical weapons



DAMASCUS- Syria warned on Saturday that rebels could use chemical weapons in their fight against President Bashar al-Assad's forces, but insisted the regime will never unleash such arms on its own people.
However, British Foreign Secretary William Hague said there was evidence the Damascus government could actually employ chemical weapons stocks in the conflict that a rights group says has killed at least 42,000 people in nearly 21 months.



Picture taken from Wikipedia, and originally from: http://agenciabrasil.ebc.com.br/galeria/2010-07-01/presidente-da-republica-arabe-siria-visita-congresso-nacional?foto=30062010-300610JC5128
Picture taken from Wikipedia, and originally from: http://agenciabrasil.ebc.com.br/galeria/2010-07-01/presidente-da-republica-arabe-siria-visita-congresso-nacional?foto=30062010-300610JC5128
"Terrorist groups may resort to using chemical weapons against the Syrian people... after having gained control of a toxic chlorine factory" east of Aleppo, the foreign ministry said, using the government term for rebels.
It added that Damascus would never use such weapons against its own people.
The ministry was believed to be referring to the Syrian-Saudi Chemicals Company (SYSACCO) factory near Safira, which was taken over earlier this week by militants from the jihadist Al-Nusra Front.
Syria "is defending its people against terrorism, which is supported by known countries, with the United States at the forefront," the ministry said.
Global concerns over Syria's chemical weapons stockpiles have grown after US officials privately said this week that the regime had begun mixing precursor chemicals that could be used for the lethal nerve agent sarin.
Some media reports said the substance had been loaded into bombs for warplanes.
Hague said there was evidence Syrian government forces could use chemical weapons against the insurgency.
"We are extremely concerned about the stockpiles of chemical and biological weapons, and we are also concerned about evidence during the last couple of weeks that the regime could use them," he told reporters in Manama on the sidelines of a security conference.
Hague said Britain had joined the United States in delivering a strong message to Assad's government and that the global community had "contingency plans concerning chemical weapons but will not disclose them."
He cited several "dangerous scenarios," including their "use by the regime" or falling into the hands "of other people."
Washington has said the use of chemical weapons would be a red line but that it fears rebel battlefield advances could prompt the regime to use them, or that stocks could fall into the hands of groups hostile to the US and its allies.
UN chief Ban Ki-moon said on Friday it would be an "outrageous crime" if the regime used chemical weapons against the revolt.
The Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, the global chemical weapons watchdog, asked Damascus to sign up to a convention banning their use, citing "serious concerns" that for the first time in the agreement's history they might be used.
The opposition Syrian National Council said even neighbouring countries would not be spared if such weapons were used.
"We ask the countries of the world to act before disaster hits, not after," SNC chief George Sabras said.
"The Syrian people will neither forget nor forgive anyone who orders the use of weapons of mass destruction, or anyone who is complicit in the crime, or anyone who moves only after the crime is committed."
Syria's new opposition coalition, meanwhile, said it will announce the creation of a military council before a Friends of Syria meeting next week, to unify insurgent ranks.
In mid-November, opposition factions agreed to establish the National Coalition and bring together rebel forces under a supreme military council.
"The council will be exclusively responsible for receiving military aid which we obtain" from outside Syria, Secretary General Mustafa Sabbagh told AFP.
On the ground, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported 49 people killed nationwide on Saturday, including 16 civilians and 16 rebels in Damascus province alone.
For several days, the army has pounded rebel strongholds on the capital's outskirts, raising fears of a looming ground assault.
There were also air strikes on the northern town of Tal Abyad near Turkey, in the northwestern province of Idlib and in the northern province of Aleppo, the Britain-based watchdog said.
More than 42,000 people have been killed since the uprising erupted in March 2011, says the Observatory, which relies on a network of activists, lawyers and medics on the ground.
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Saturday, December 8th 2012
AFP
           


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