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Were these sheep and lambs killed by nerve gas attack in Syria? Plus More

By C. J. Refsland on April 27, 2013 • ( 0 )

WARNING GRAPHIC IMAGES

A new image allegedly showing sheep and lambs killed by a rocket barrage in Syria have fueled further speculation that chemical weapons have been used in the war in Syria.

Residents in the Khan al-Assal area near the northern city of Aleppo claim that the animals have been killed by chemical weapons.

But the alleged attack, which killed 26 people, has become the focus of conflicting allegations from both the Syrian regime and rebel fighters that their opponent has used chemical weapons.

The photo, taken after a bombing attack on March 23, has come to light after both the US and UK governments claimed there is preliminary evidence that President Bashar Al Assad’s regime used the banned weapons.

Fresh claims: Animal carcasses lie on the ground, killed by what residents said was a chemical weapon attack on Tuesday, in Khan al-Assal area near Aleppo

Injured: A video posted on Facebook and YouTube appears to show victims of a Syrian regime assault on Aleppo foaming at the mouth

Graphic: The video was posted on the Facebook page of British-trained doctor Niazi Habash, who treated some of the Aleppo victims

Horrific: Experts believe that the injuries shown in the video are consistent with those sustained after a chemical weapon attack

Claims that chemicals have been used have intensified in the past few days with US Secretary of State John Kerry suggesting that Assad’s forces had ‘launched’ two such attacks.

Officials said that intelligence gleaned by both the UK and US suggest that chemical agents, in particular sarin, has been used.

But Syrian officials yesterday dismissed the claims saying that they had no need to use them.

Syrian official Sharif Shehadeh called the U.S. claims ‘lies’ and likened them to false accusations that Iraq possessed weapons of mass destruction ahead of the U.S. invasion of that country.

Both the UK and US governments appear cautious in terms of intervening in the conflict, but Syrian opposition groups yesterday called for immediate action.

Earlier this week, a video posted on the Facebook page of a British-trained doctor appeared to show victims of a Syrian regime assault on Aleppo foaming at the mouth and showing symptoms consistent with a chemical weapons attack.

Experts said that they believe that chemical weapons may have been dropped on Kurdish residents of Aleppo’s Sheikh Massoud region during an attack which saw two babies and a woman killed earlier this month.

It is thought that the April 13 assault may have been in revenge for residents’ decision to defect to support the rebels.

US Defence Secretary Chuck Hagel said on Thursday that US intelligence had concluded with ‘some degree of varying confidence’ that Assad’s forces have used chemical weapons on a ‘small scale’.

Precautions: Residents wear masks as they search for bodies after shelling by forces loyal to Syria’s President Bashar al-Assad earlier this year

Destruction: Parts of the northern Syrian city of Aleppo have been destroyed during the bitter civil war. The aftermath of a separate assault by the Syrian regime on the city is pictured

Revenge: Syrian rebel fighters standing amid sandbags in a damaged section of the Umayyad Mosque complex. It’s thought the April 13 assault was in retaliation for Kurdish backing of the rebels