Assad, backers 'must be held to account' if chemical attack confirmed: Theresa May

British Prime Minister Theresa May said on Monday that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and his backers "must be held to account" if a suspected poison gas attack on the rebel-held town of Douma is confirmed.

Theresa May said that if confirmed, the attack would be another example of the "Assad regime's brutality and brazen disregard for its own people."

"If confirmed this is yet another example of the Assad regime's brutality and brazen disregard for its own people and for its legal obligation not to use these weapons," Theresa May told reporters in Copenhagen following talks with Danish Prime Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen. 

"If they're found to be responsible, the regime and its backers, including Russia, must be held to account," the British PM said.

"The UK utterly condemns the use of chemical weapons in any circumstances and we must urgently establish what happened on Saturday," Theresa May said.

"Poisonous chlorine gas" had been used late Saturday, said Syria's White Helmets who act as first responders in rebel-held areas.

International outrage has mounted against the alleged use of the weapons, with US President Donald Trump and French counterpart Emmanuel Macron vowing strong responses.

Syria and its ally Russia have dismissed as "fabrications" allegations that the attack was carried out by Syrian forces. They have warned against using them to justify military action.

Earlier on Monday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said that Russian specialists had found no trace of a chemical attack on Douma.

The global watchdog working to eradicate chemical weapons, the OPCW, is investigating the reports, its head said on Monday.

(With inputs from AFP)