Russia Says Militants in Syria Plan to Stage Chemical Attack in Idlib Province

Rear Adm. Alexander Karpov, Deputy head of the Russian Defense Ministry's Center for Reconciliation of Opposing Sides in Syria, said on Monday the reconciliation center received information that militants from the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham are preparing a provocation in the Idlib de-escalation zone, Sputnik reported.

"The terrorists are planning to conduct a staged chemical attack in a specially built camp in the village of Kabana, the Idlib province, involving the residents of the province as victims and the injured people in order to accuse the Syrian government forces of using chemical weapons against civilians," Karpov added during a briefing.

Syria has been mired in a war since 2011, with government forces led by President Bashar Assad fighting opposition groups and terrorist organizations. With assistance from Russia, Syrian government troops have regained most of the country's territory formerly controlled by the militants.