Damascus, Syria
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Bashar al-Assad’s central bank transported approximately $250 million in cash to Moscow over a two-year period, according to a report by the Financial Times.
The FT uncovered documents revealing that Assad’s regime, while suffering a severe shortage of foreign currency, flew nearly two tonnes of cash, consisting of $100 bills and €500 notes, to Moscow’s Vnukovo airport for deposit in sanctioned Russian banks between 2018 and 2019.
These cash transfers took place at a time when Syria was heavily reliant on Russian military support, including mercenaries from the Wagner group. Simultaneously, members of Assad’s family reportedly began acquiring luxury properties in Moscow, as highlighted in the report.
The FT suggested that these transactions show the lengths to which Assad’s regime went to bypass western sanctions that had isolated it from the global financial system.
David Schenker, former US Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs, told the FT that such moves were expected. “The regime would have to bring their money abroad to a safe haven to be able to use it to procure the fine life... for the regime and its inner circle,” he said.
Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/israel-greenlights-11-million-plan-to-double-golan-heights-population-amid-regional-tensions-784232" target="_blank">Israel approves $11 million plan to 'double' Golan Heights population</a>
Western governments and opposition figures have long accused Assad’s regime of looting Syria’s resources and resorting to criminal activities to finance the war. The cash shipments to Russia coincided with the Kremlin’s growing military involvement in Syria and Assad’s extended family’s chain of property purchases in Moscow.
Assad fled Syria on December 8, following an 11-day rebel offensive led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS). After ruling Syria since 2000—following the death of his father, Hafez al-Assad—Bashar al-Assad took an early morning flight to Russia as rebels approached Damascus. The Kremlin later confirmed that Assad had been granted political asylum.
Assad’s decision to flee as the rebels advanced has angered even some of his former supporters, who see it as evidence of him looking out for himself instead of being loyal to his regime or country.
(With inputs from agencies)
Disclaimer: WION takes the utmost care to accurately and responsibly report conflicts in West Asia involving Israel, Iran, Syria, Iraq, and non-state actors like the Islamic State, among others. In this context, claims and counterclaims are being made online and offline. WION cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, social media posts, photos and videos.<o:p></o:p>

The FT uncovered documents revealing that Assad’s regime, while suffering a severe shortage of foreign currency, flew nearly two tonnes of cash, consisting of $100 bills and €500 notes, to Moscow’s Vnukovo airport for deposit in sanctioned Russian banks between 2018 and 2019.



Damascus, Syria Bashar al-Assad’s central bank transported approximately $250 million in cash to Moscow over a two-year period, according to a report by the Financial Times. The FT uncovered documents revealing that Assad’s regime, while suffering a severe shortage of foreign currency, flew nearly two tonnes of cash, consisting of $100 bills and €500 notes, to Moscow’s Vnukovo airport for deposit in sanctioned Russian banks between 2018 and 2019. These cash transfers took place at a time when Syria was heavily reliant on Russian military support, including mercenaries from the Wagner group. Simultaneously, members of Assad’s family reportedly began acquiring luxury properties in Moscow, as highlighted in the report. The FT suggested that these transactions show the lengths to which Assad’s regime went to bypass western sanctions that had isolated it from the global financial system. David Schenker, former US Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs, told the FT that such moves were expected. “The regime would have to bring their money abroad to a safe haven to be able to use it to procure the fine life... for the regime and its inner circle,” he said. Also read: Israel approves $11 million plan to 'double' Golan Heights population Western governments and opposition figures have long accused Assad’s regime of looting Syria’s resources and resorting to criminal activities to finance the war. The cash shipments to Russia coincided with the Kremlin’s growing military involvement in Syria and Assad’s extended family’s chain of property purchases in Moscow. Assad fled Syria on December 8, following an 11-day rebel offensive led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS). After ruling Syria since 2000—following the death of his father, Hafez al-Assad—Bashar al-Assad took an early morning flight to Russia as rebels approached Damascus. The Kremlin later confirmed that Assad had been granted political asylum. Assad’s decision to flee as the rebels advanced has angered even some of his former supporters, who see it as evidence of him looking out for himself instead of being loyal to his regime or country. (With inputs from agencies) Disclaimer: WION takes the utmost care to accurately and responsibly report conflicts in West Asia involving Israel, Iran, Syria, Iraq, and non-state actors like the Islamic State, among others. In this context, claims and counterclaims are being made online and offline. WION cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, social media posts, photos and videos.

Syrian conflict: Assad secretly ‘airlifted’ $250 million to Moscow before fleeing to Russia - Report

Bashar al-Assad’s central bank transported approximately $250 million in cash to Moscow over a two-year period, according to a report by the Financial Times. The FT uncovered documents revealing that Assad’s regime, while suffering a severe shortage of foreign currency, flew nearly two tonnes of cash, consisting of $100 bills and €500 notes, to Moscow’s Vnukovo airport for deposit in sanctioned Russian banks between 2018 and 2019.

Bashar al-Assad’s central bank transported approximately $250 million in cash to Moscow over a two-year period, according to a report by the Financial Times. The FT uncovered documents revealing that Assad’s regime, while suffering a severe shortage of foreign currency, flew nearly two tonnes of cash, consisting of $100 bills and €500 notes, to Moscow’s Vnukovo airport for deposit in sanctioned Russian banks between 2018 and 2019. These cash transfers took place at a time when Syria was heavily reliant on Russian military support, including mercenaries from the Wagner group. Simultaneously, members of Assad’s family reportedly began acquiring luxury properties in Moscow, as highlighted in the report. The FT suggested that these transactions show the lengths to which Assad’s regime went to bypass western sanctions that had isolated it from the global financial system. David Schenker, former US Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs, told the FT that such moves were expected. “The regime would have to bring their money abroad to a safe haven to be able to use it to procure the fine life... for the regime and its inner circle,” he said. Also read: Israel approves $11 million plan to 'double' Golan Heights population Western governments and opposition figures have long accused Assad’s regime of looting Syria’s resources and resorting to criminal activities to finance the war. The cash shipments to Russia coincided with the Kremlin’s growing military involvement in Syria and Assad’s extended family’s chain of property purchases in Moscow. Assad fled Syria on December 8, following an 11-day rebel offensive led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS). After ruling Syria since 2000—following the death of his father, Hafez al-Assad—Bashar al-Assad took an early morning flight to Russia as rebels approached Damascus. The Kremlin later confirmed that Assad had been granted political asylum. Assad’s decision to flee as the rebels advanced has angered even some of his former supporters, who see it as evidence of him looking out for himself instead of being loyal to his regime or country. (With inputs from agencies) Disclaimer: WION takes the utmost care to accurately and responsibly report conflicts in West Asia involving Israel, Iran, Syria, Iraq, and non-state actors like the Islamic State, among others. In this context, claims and counterclaims are being made online and offline. WION cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, social media posts, photos and videos.

&nbsp;US President Donald Trump on Monday promised quick, forceful action in response to a deadly suspected chemical weapons attack in Syria, appearing to suggest a potential military response.&nbsp;

Speaking at a meeting with military leaders and national security advisers, Trump said he would make a decision by Monday night "or very shortly thereafter" on a response, adding that the United States had "a lot of options militarily" on Syria.

“But we can’t let atrocities like we all witnessed ... we can’t let that happen in our world ... especially when we’re able to because of the power of the United States, the power of our country, we’re able to stop it.”

The suspected chemical weapons attack late on Saturday killed at least 60 people, with more than 1,000 injured in several sites in Douma, a city near the capital, Damascus, according to a Syrian aid organization.

Initial US&nbsp;assessments have so far been unable to determine conclusively what materials were used in the attack and could not say with certainty that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad`s government forces were behind it.

Trump said, however, that Washington was "getting more clarity" on who was responsible for the attack.

US&nbsp;officials told Reuters that Washington was weighing a multinational military response. For the second time in less than 24 hours, Trump and French President Emmanuel Macron spoke by phone to coordinate their response, the White House said.

Asked at a Cabinet meeting earlier on Monday if Russian President Vladimir Putin bore any responsibility for the attack, Trump said: "He may, yeah, he may. And if he does, it’s going to be very tough, very tough."

On Sunday, the US&nbsp;president who had sought warmer relations with Russia criticized Putin by name on Twitter as he castigated Russia and Iran for backing "Animal Assad."

The US&nbsp;envoy to the United Nations, Nikki Haley, said Washington "will respond" to the attack regardless of whether the UN&nbsp;Security Council acts or not.

Moscow said it warned the United States of "grave repercussions" if it carried out an attack against Syrian government forces.

The Syrian government and its ally Russia have denied involvement in the attack.

International bodies led by the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) were trying to establish exactly what happened in Douma, a rebel-held town in the eastern Ghouta district.

Syrian government forces had launched an air and ground assault on Douma, the last town held by rebels in eastern Ghouta, on Friday.&nbsp;

Shocked the conscience

Britain and the United States agreed on Monday that the attack bore the hallmarks of previous chemical weapons attacks by Assad`s government, but neither country gave details of what kind of chemical might have been used or how the attack was staged.

"The images, especially of suffering children, have shocked the conscience of the entire civilized world," White House spokesman Sarah Sanders said. "Sadly, these actions are consistent with Assad`s established pattern of chemical weapons use."

The United States fired missiles on a Syrian air base a year ago in response to the killing of dozens of civilians in a sarin gas attack in an opposition-held town. The missile strikes did little long-term damage to Syrian government forces and Assad`s position has only become stronger with Iranian and Russian support.

The stakes are higher for any new US&nbsp;military action, with Trump explicitly mentioning Iran and Russia in connection with the weekend attack.

US&nbsp;Defense Secretary Jim Mattis on Monday accused Russia of falling short on its obligations to ensure that Syria abandoned its chemical weapons capabilities.

The Russian military said on Monday its medics had examined patients in a hospital in Douma and had found no traces of a chemical attack, Interfax news agency reported.

Russia and Syria both offered during the UN&nbsp;Security Council meeting on Monday to take OPCW investigators to Douma.

The OPCW did not immediately respond to a request for comment. But weapons inspectors are not expected to go to Syria after being attacked twice while tying to get to the sites of chemical weapons attacks since 2013.

Instead, they have in recent investigations gathered blood samples from victims and interviewed witnesses outside of Syria.

The United States plans to call for a UN&nbsp;Security Council vote on Tuesday on a proposal for a new inquiry into responsibility for the use of chemical weapons in Syria, diplomats said.

Monday air strikes

The Syria conflict was further complicated on Monday when unidentified war planes struck a Syrian air base near Homs, killing at least 14 people, including Iranian personnel. Syria and Russia accused Israel of carrying out the attack.

Israel, which has struck Syrian army locations many times in the course of its neighbour`s 7-year-old civil war, has neither confirmed nor denied mounting the raid.

But Israeli officials said the Tiyas, or T-4, air base was being used by troops from Iran and that Israel would not accept such a presence in Syria by its arch foe.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said the strike on the T-4 base was a dangerous development.

The incidents in Douma and Tiyas demonstrated the complex and volatile nature of the Syria war, which involves a number of countries and insurgent groups.

Speaking at a meeting with military leaders and national security advisers, Trump said he would make a decision by Monday night 'or very shortly thereafter' on a response, adding that the United States had 'a lot of options militarily' on Syria

US President Donald Trump on Monday promised quick, forceful action in response to a deadly suspected chemical weapons attack in Syria, appearing to suggest a potential military response. Speaking at a meeting with military leaders and national security advisers, Trump said he would make a decision by Monday night "or very shortly thereafter" on a response, adding that the United States had "a lot of options militarily" on Syria. “But we can’t let atrocities like we all witnessed ... we can’t let that happen in our world ... especially when we’re able to because of the power of the United States, the power of our country, we’re able to stop it.” The suspected chemical weapons attack late on Saturday killed at least 60 people, with more than 1,000 injured in several sites in Douma, a city near the capital, Damascus, according to a Syrian aid organization. Initial US assessments have so far been unable to determine conclusively what materials were used in the attack and could not say with certainty that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad`s government forces were behind it. Trump said, however, that Washington was "getting more clarity" on who was responsible for the attack. US officials told Reuters that Washington was weighing a multinational military response. For the second time in less than 24 hours, Trump and French President Emmanuel Macron spoke by phone to coordinate their response, the White House said. Asked at a Cabinet meeting earlier on Monday if Russian President Vladimir Putin bore any responsibility for the attack, Trump said: "He may, yeah, he may. And if he does, it’s going to be very tough, very tough." On Sunday, the US president who had sought warmer relations with Russia criticized Putin by name on Twitter as he castigated Russia and Iran for backing "Animal Assad." The US envoy to the United Nations, Nikki Haley, said Washington "will respond" to the attack regardless of whether the UN Security Council acts or not. Moscow said it warned the United States of "grave repercussions" if it carried out an attack against Syrian government forces. The Syrian government and its ally Russia have denied involvement in the attack. International bodies led by the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) were trying to establish exactly what happened in Douma, a rebel-held town in the eastern Ghouta district. Syrian government forces had launched an air and ground assault on Douma, the last town held by rebels in eastern Ghouta, on Friday. Shocked the conscience Britain and the United States agreed on Monday that the attack bore the hallmarks of previous chemical weapons attacks by Assad`s government, but neither country gave details of what kind of chemical might have been used or how the attack was staged. "The images, especially of suffering children, have shocked the conscience of the entire civilized world," White House spokesman Sarah Sanders said. "Sadly, these actions are consistent with Assad`s established pattern of chemical weapons use." The United States fired missiles on a Syrian air base a year ago in response to the killing of dozens of civilians in a sarin gas attack in an opposition-held town. The missile strikes did little long-term damage to Syrian government forces and Assad`s position has only become stronger with Iranian and Russian support. The stakes are higher for any new US military action, with Trump explicitly mentioning Iran and Russia in connection with the weekend attack. US Defense Secretary Jim Mattis on Monday accused Russia of falling short on its obligations to ensure that Syria abandoned its chemical weapons capabilities. The Russian military said on Monday its medics had examined patients in a hospital in Douma and had found no traces of a chemical attack, Interfax news agency reported. Russia and Syria both offered during the UN Security Council meeting on Monday to take OPCW investigators to Douma. The OPCW did not immediately respond to a request for comment. But weapons inspectors are not expected to go to Syria after being attacked twice while tying to get to the sites of chemical weapons attacks since 2013. Instead, they have in recent investigations gathered blood samples from victims and interviewed witnesses outside of Syria. The United States plans to call for a UN Security Council vote on Tuesday on a proposal for a new inquiry into responsibility for the use of chemical weapons in Syria, diplomats said. Monday air strikes The Syria conflict was further complicated on Monday when unidentified war planes struck a Syrian air base near Homs, killing at least 14 people, including Iranian personnel. Syria and Russia accused Israel of carrying out the attack. Israel, which has struck Syrian army locations many times in the course of its neighbour`s 7-year-old civil war, has neither confirmed nor denied mounting the raid. But Israeli officials said the Tiyas, or T-4, air base was being used by troops from Iran and that Israel would not accept such a presence in Syria by its arch foe. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said the strike on the T-4 base was a dangerous development. The incidents in Douma and Tiyas demonstrated the complex and volatile nature of the Syria war, which involves a number of countries and insurgent groups.

Trump vows quick action in response to suspected chemical attack in Syria

Syria&#39;s President Bashar al-Assad said a suspected chemical weapons attack was a &quot;fabrication&quot; to justify a US strike on his forces, in an exclusive interview with AFP in Damascus.

The embattled leader, whose country has been ravaged by six years of war, said his firepower had not been affected by the attack ordered by US President Donald Trump, but acknowledged further strikes were possible.

Assad insisted his forces had turned over all their chemical weapons stocks years ago and would never use the banned arms.

The interview on Wednesday was his first since a suspected chemical weapons attack that killed dozens of civilians in the rebel-held town of Khan Sheikhun.

&quot;Definitely, 100 percent for us, it&#39;s fabrication,&quot; he said of the incident.

&quot;Our impression is that the West, mainly the United States, is hand-in-glove with the terrorists. They fabricated the whole story in order to have a pretext for the attack,&quot; added Assad, who has been in power for 17 years.

At least 87 people, including 31 children, were killed in the alleged attack, according to the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitor.

But Assad said evidence came only from &quot;a branch of Al-Qaeda,&quot; referring to a former jihadist affiliate that is among the groups that control Idlib province, where Khan Sheikhun is located.

Images of the aftermath, showing victims convulsing and foaming at the mouth, sent shockwaves around the world.

But Assad insisted it was &quot;not clear whether it happened or not, because how can you verify a video? You have a lot of fake videos now.&quot;

&quot;We don&#39;t know whether those dead children were killed in Khan Sheikhun. Were they dead at all?&quot;

He said Khan Sheikhun had no strategic value and was not currently a battle front.

&quot;This story is not convincing by any means.&quot;

The Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) has begun an investigation into the alleged attack, but Russia on Wednesday blocked a UN Security Council resolution demanding Syria cooperate with the probe.

And Assad said he could &quot;only allow any investigation when it&#39;s impartial, when we make sure that unbiased countries will participate in this delegation in order to make sure that they won&#39;t use it for politicised purposes.&quot;

He insisted several times that his forces had turned over all chemical weapons stockpiles in 2013, under a deal brokered by Russia to avoid threatened US military action.

&quot;There was no order to make any attack, we don&#39;t have any chemical weapons, we gave up our arsenal a few years ago,&quot; he said.

&quot;Even if we have them, we wouldn&#39;t use them, and we have never used our chemical arsenal in our history.&quot;

The OPCW has blamed Assad&#39;s government for at least two attacks in 2014 and 2015 involving the use of chlorine.

The Khan Sheikhun incident prompted the first direct US military action against Assad&#39;s government since the war began, with 59 cruise missiles hitting the Shayrat airbase three days after the suspected chemical attack.

Assad said more US attacks &quot;could happen anytime, anywhere, not only in Syria.&quot;

But he said his forces had not been diminished by the US strike.

&quot;Our firepower, our ability to attack the terrorists hasn&#39;t been affected by this strike.&quot;

(AFP)

President Bashar al-Assad said Syria had turned over all their chemical weapons stocks years ago and would never use them

Syria's President Bashar al-Assad said a suspected chemical weapons attack was a "fabrication" to justify a US strike on his forces, in an exclusive interview with AFP in Damascus. The embattled leader, whose country has been ravaged by six years of war, said his firepower had not been affected by the attack ordered by US President Donald Trump, but acknowledged further strikes were possible. Assad insisted his forces had turned over all their chemical weapons stocks years ago and would never use the banned arms. The interview on Wednesday was his first since a suspected chemical weapons attack that killed dozens of civilians in the rebel-held town of Khan Sheikhun. "Definitely, 100 percent for us, it's fabrication," he said of the incident. "Our impression is that the West, mainly the United States, is hand-in-glove with the terrorists. They fabricated the whole story in order to have a pretext for the attack," added Assad, who has been in power for 17 years. At least 87 people, including 31 children, were killed in the alleged attack, according to the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitor. But Assad said evidence came only from "a branch of Al-Qaeda," referring to a former jihadist affiliate that is among the groups that control Idlib province, where Khan Sheikhun is located. Images of the aftermath, showing victims convulsing and foaming at the mouth, sent shockwaves around the world. But Assad insisted it was "not clear whether it happened or not, because how can you verify a video? You have a lot of fake videos now." "We don't know whether those dead children were killed in Khan Sheikhun. Were they dead at all?" He said Khan Sheikhun had no strategic value and was not currently a battle front. "This story is not convincing by any means." The Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) has begun an investigation into the alleged attack, but Russia on Wednesday blocked a UN Security Council resolution demanding Syria cooperate with the probe. And Assad said he could "only allow any investigation when it's impartial, when we make sure that unbiased countries will participate in this delegation in order to make sure that they won't use it for politicised purposes." He insisted several times that his forces had turned over all chemical weapons stockpiles in 2013, under a deal brokered by Russia to avoid threatened US military action. "There was no order to make any attack, we don't have any chemical weapons, we gave up our arsenal a few years ago," he said. "Even if we have them, we wouldn't use them, and we have never used our chemical arsenal in our history." The OPCW has blamed Assad's government for at least two attacks in 2014 and 2015 involving the use of chlorine. The Khan Sheikhun incident prompted the first direct US military action against Assad's government since the war began, with 59 cruise missiles hitting the Shayrat airbase three days after the suspected chemical attack. Assad said more US attacks "could happen anytime, anywhere, not only in Syria." But he said his forces had not been diminished by the US strike. "Our firepower, our ability to attack the terrorists hasn't been affected by this strike." (AFP)

Gas attack a 'fabrication' for US to attack us, says Syria's Assad

The United States said it would take unilateral action against Syria if the United Nations couldn&#39;t rein in the Syrian regime, a day after an alleged chemical attack on a rebel-held town left scores dead, including children.

The deadly attack in Idlib province in Syria has also changed US President Donald Trump&#39;s opinion about the Bashar al-Assad regime. Trump condemned the attack, saying it had crossed &quot;many, many lines&quot; by &quot;killing innocent children&quot;.

The warnings by the US administration were made a day after at least 86 people, including 30 children, died due to the possible gas attacks, while several others were left gasping for breath and foaming at the mouth.

Speaking during the emergency meeting of the UN Security Council called by France and Britain, US Ambassador Nikki Haley said the US would act on its own if the United Nations failed to tackle the protracted conflict in Syria.

&quot;When the United Nations consistently fails in its duty to act collectively, there are times in the life of states that we are compelled to take our own action,&quot; Haley said.

She also urged Russia to use its influence to end the &quot;horrific acts&quot;&nbsp;in Syria.

&quot;How many more children have to die before Russia cares? If Russia has the influence in&nbsp;Syria&nbsp;that it claims to have, we need to see them use it,&quot; she said.

The US and the west have blamed Assad for overseeing the deadliest attack since 2013. They have also accused Russia and Iran of aiding Assad in the years-long civil war that has left around 320,000 people&nbsp;dead.

Both Syria and Russia have denied carrying out the attack, with Moscow suggesting that toxic agents were released after an air strike by the US coalition hit a rebel arsenal.&nbsp;

&#39;Terrible affront to humanity&#39;

Trump&#39;s condemnation of the possible gas attack has also pivoted the administration&#39;s agenda in Syria.

Trump had previously spoken about how defeating Islamic State and not removal of Assad was seen as a priority by his administration.

The shift in stance was evidenced when White House press secretary Sean Spicer admitted that the US administration was now being driven by a new &quot;reality&quot;, Independent reported.

Trump also assailed the Syrian regime by dubbing the attack as a &quot;terrible affront to humanity&quot;.&nbsp;

&quot;That attack on children yesterday had a big impact on me ... my attitude toward Syria and Assad has changed very much,&quot; the 70-year-old president said.

France urges US to back&nbsp;Syria&nbsp;solution&nbsp;

Britain, France and the United States have presented a draft resolution demanding a full investigation of the attack, but Russia said the text was &quot;categorically unacceptable&quot;.

&quot;If we are not prepared to act, then this council will keep meeting, month after month to express outrage at the continuing use of chemical weapons and it will not end,&quot; Haley said.

&quot;We will see more conflict in&nbsp;Syria. We will see more pictures that we can never unsee.&quot;

French Ambassador Francois Delattre called on Russia to ratchet up pressure on Assad but also had a message for the Trump administration.

&quot;Frankly we also need an American that is seriously committed to a solution in&nbsp;Syria&nbsp;and puts all its weight behind it. If not now, when?&quot; Delattre told reporters.

The draft resolution backs a probe by the Organisation of the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) and demands that&nbsp;Syria&nbsp;cooperate to provide information on its military operations on the day of the assault.

Russia&#39;s Deputy Ambassador Vladimir Safronkov told the council that the proposed resolution was hastily prepared and unnecessary, but voiced support for an inquiry.

&quot;The main task now is to have an objective inquiry into what happened,&quot; he said.&nbsp;

Negotiations were continuing on the draft text, but diplomats said they hoped it could be put to a vote later on Wednesday.

(WION with inputs from AFP)

The US also urged Russia to exert its influence and rein in the Syrian regime, who it blames for the deadly attack in Idlib province

The United States said it would take unilateral action against Syria if the United Nations couldn't rein in the Syrian regime, a day after an alleged chemical attack on a rebel-held town left scores dead, including children. The deadly attack in Idlib province in Syria has also changed US President Donald Trump's opinion about the Bashar al-Assad regime. Trump condemned the attack, saying it had crossed "many, many lines" by "killing innocent children". The warnings by the US administration were made a day after at least 86 people, including 30 children, died due to the possible gas attacks, while several others were left gasping for breath and foaming at the mouth. Speaking during the emergency meeting of the UN Security Council called by France and Britain, US Ambassador Nikki Haley said the US would act on its own if the United Nations failed to tackle the protracted conflict in Syria. "When the United Nations consistently fails in its duty to act collectively, there are times in the life of states that we are compelled to take our own action," Haley said. She also urged Russia to use its influence to end the "horrific acts" in Syria. "How many more children have to die before Russia cares? If Russia has the influence in Syria that it claims to have, we need to see them use it," she said. The US and the west have blamed Assad for overseeing the deadliest attack since 2013. They have also accused Russia and Iran of aiding Assad in the years-long civil war that has left around 320,000 people dead. Both Syria and Russia have denied carrying out the attack, with Moscow suggesting that toxic agents were released after an air strike by the US coalition hit a rebel arsenal. 'Terrible affront to humanity' Trump's condemnation of the possible gas attack has also pivoted the administration's agenda in Syria. Trump had previously spoken about how defeating Islamic State and not removal of Assad was seen as a priority by his administration. The shift in stance was evidenced when White House press secretary Sean Spicer admitted that the US administration was now being driven by a new "reality", Independent reported. Trump also assailed the Syrian regime by dubbing the attack as a "terrible affront to humanity". "That attack on children yesterday had a big impact on me ... my attitude toward Syria and Assad has changed very much," the 70-year-old president said. France urges US to back Syria solution Britain, France and the United States have presented a draft resolution demanding a full investigation of the attack, but Russia said the text was "categorically unacceptable". "If we are not prepared to act, then this council will keep meeting, month after month to express outrage at the continuing use of chemical weapons and it will not end," Haley said. "We will see more conflict in Syria. We will see more pictures that we can never unsee." French Ambassador Francois Delattre called on Russia to ratchet up pressure on Assad but also had a message for the Trump administration. "Frankly we also need an American that is seriously committed to a solution in Syria and puts all its weight behind it. If not now, when?" Delattre told reporters. The draft resolution backs a probe by the Organisation of the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) and demands that Syria cooperate to provide information on its military operations on the day of the assault. Russia's Deputy Ambassador Vladimir Safronkov told the council that the proposed resolution was hastily prepared and unnecessary, but voiced support for an inquiry. "The main task now is to have an objective inquiry into what happened," he said. Negotiations were continuing on the draft text, but diplomats said they hoped it could be put to a vote later on Wednesday. (WION with inputs from AFP)

Syria 'gas attack': US threatens to take unilateral action if UN talks fail

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Syrian conflict: Assad secretly ‘airlifted’ $250 million to Moscow before fleeing to Russia - Report

Syrian conflict: Assad secretly ‘airlifted’ $250 million to Moscow before fleeing to Russia - Report

Trump vows quick action in response to suspected chemical attack in Syria

Gas attack a 'fabrication' for US to attack us, says Syria's Assad

Syria 'gas attack': US threatens to take unilateral action if UN talks fail