US Accusing Syria of Planning Gas Attack Pretext for New Aggression: Official

A source at the Syrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs told the country's news agency, SANA, that the objective of these allegations is to justify a new act of aggression against Syria under false pretenses, similar to the US aggression on Shayrat airbase.
 
The ministry official was referring to an incident of alleged use of chemical weapons in Khan Shaykhun in Idlib province took place on April 4. According to Russia's Defense Ministry, the Syrian aircraft struck terrorists workshops producing chemical agents. Washington accused Damascus of using chemical weapons, after which the US Navy launched a missile attack on a missile strike Shayrat airbase.
 
Syria reiterated that it has irretrievably removed the chemical program, as confirmed by the relevant international organizations, and that it does not possess any chemical weapons, and that it strongly condemns the use of chemical weapons in any place and for any reason and under any pretext. 
 
Syria has pointed out that the claims against it also aim at covering up the attacks launched by the illegal US-led coalition, which has caused the death of thousands of innocent Syrian civilians.
 
The official noted that, these threats also follow the great achievements made by Syrian Army and its allies all over the Syrian territory against the terrorist groups supported by the US and its stooges in the region and beyond, noting that these threats aim at raising the morale of the terrorist organizations and prolonging the crisis in Syria.
 
The Syrian foreign ministry official concluded by stating that, Syria condemns and rejects the US threats categorically and asserts that any US aggression against its army and people would be in the service of the armed terrorist organizations.
 
According to reports, the US military has ships and aircraft in place to strike Syria if ordered to do so by President Donald Trump.
 
Meanwhile, Russian Foreign Ministry’s Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on Thursday that the provocative claims made by the US about preparing a chemical attack in Syria are directed not only against Damascus but Moscow as well. These accusations and threats sound “in an absolutely cynical way amid the blatantly illegal steps of the US-led anti-ISIS coalition against a sovereign Syria”, noting that the current media campaign is paving the way for a new intervention in Syria.