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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
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| Syria chemical 'attack': Trump condemns 'affront to humanity' | Syria chemical 'attack': Trump condemns 'affront to humanity' |
| (about 5 hours later) | |
| US President Donald Trump has condemned the killing of dozens of civilians in northern Syria in an apparent chemical weapons attack by Syria's air force. | US President Donald Trump has condemned the killing of dozens of civilians in northern Syria in an apparent chemical weapons attack by Syria's air force. |
| It was an "affront to humanity", he said, adding: "When you kill innocent children, innocent babies, little babies... that crosses... many lines." | It was an "affront to humanity", he said, adding: "When you kill innocent children, innocent babies, little babies... that crosses... many lines." |
| He did not mention Russia, Syria's ally, which says chemical weapons in rebel hands may have been released. | He did not mention Russia, Syria's ally, which says chemical weapons in rebel hands may have been released. |
| But America's envoy to the UN accused Russia of covering up for Damascus. | But America's envoy to the UN accused Russia of covering up for Damascus. |
| "Time and time again Russia uses the same false narrative to deflect attention from their ally in Damascus," Nikki Haley said during a heated UN Security Council debate in New York. | "Time and time again Russia uses the same false narrative to deflect attention from their ally in Damascus," Nikki Haley said during a heated UN Security Council debate in New York. |
| Hinting at possible unilateral action by the US, she added: "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." | Hinting at possible unilateral action by the US, she added: "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." |
| The government of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad denies its forces launched a chemical weapons attack. | The government of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad denies its forces launched a chemical weapons attack. |
| What happened? | What happened? |
| According to UK-based monitoring group the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, 20 children and 52 adults were killed in the chemical incident in Khan Sheikhoun, Idlib province, on Tuesday. | According to UK-based monitoring group the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, 20 children and 52 adults were killed in the chemical incident in Khan Sheikhoun, Idlib province, on Tuesday. |
| Footage following the incident shows civilians, many of them children, choking and foaming at the mouth. | Footage following the incident shows civilians, many of them children, choking and foaming at the mouth. |
| Both the World Health Organisation and medical charity MSF said some of the victims had symptoms consistent with exposure to nerve agents. | Both the World Health Organisation and medical charity MSF said some of the victims had symptoms consistent with exposure to nerve agents. |
| Witnesses say clinics treating the injured were then targeted by air strikes. | Witnesses say clinics treating the injured were then targeted by air strikes. |
| Will there be a change in US policy? | Will there be a change in US policy? |
| Mr Trump said: "I will tell you, it's already happened, that my attitude towards Syria and Assad has changed very much... You're now talking about a whole different level." | Mr Trump said: "I will tell you, it's already happened, that my attitude towards Syria and Assad has changed very much... You're now talking about a whole different level." |
| Asked during a meeting with Jordan's King Abdullah at the White House whether he was formulating a new policy towards Syria, Mr Trump told reporters, "You'll see." | Asked during a meeting with Jordan's King Abdullah at the White House whether he was formulating a new policy towards Syria, Mr Trump told reporters, "You'll see." |
| US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson called on Russia to "think carefully" about its continued support for President Assad, while Vice-President Mike Pence said "all options are on the table" regarding Syria. | |
| Only last week, Ms Haley said the US was no longer prioritising the removal of President Assad, a shift in US policy from the Obama era. | Only last week, Ms Haley said the US was no longer prioritising the removal of President Assad, a shift in US policy from the Obama era. |
| Is Trump partly to blame? | Is Trump partly to blame? |
| What do the Russians say? | What do the Russians say? |
| Russia has acknowledged that Syrian planes did attack Khan Sheikhoun but says the aircraft struck a depot producing chemical weapons, for use by militants in Iraq. | Russia has acknowledged that Syrian planes did attack Khan Sheikhoun but says the aircraft struck a depot producing chemical weapons, for use by militants in Iraq. |
| On Tuesday "Syrian aviation made a strike on a large terrorist ammunition depot and a concentration of military hardware in the eastern outskirts of Khan Sheikhoun town," Russian defence ministry spokesman Igor Konoshenkov said. | On Tuesday "Syrian aviation made a strike on a large terrorist ammunition depot and a concentration of military hardware in the eastern outskirts of Khan Sheikhoun town," Russian defence ministry spokesman Igor Konoshenkov said. |
| "On the territory of the depot there were workshops which produced chemical warfare munitions." | "On the territory of the depot there were workshops which produced chemical warfare munitions." |
| How does the Russian theory stack up? | How does the Russian theory stack up? |
| A chemical weapons expert, Col Hamish de Bretton-Gordon, told the BBC the Russian version of events was "pretty fanciful". | A chemical weapons expert, Col Hamish de Bretton-Gordon, told the BBC the Russian version of events was "pretty fanciful". |
| The idea that a nerve gas like Sarin could spread after a weapons manufacturing process had been bombed was "unsustainable", he added. | The idea that a nerve gas like Sarin could spread after a weapons manufacturing process had been bombed was "unsustainable", he added. |
| Hasan Haj Ali, commander of the Free Idlib Army rebel group, told Reuters news agency: "Everyone saw the plane while it was bombing with gas." | Hasan Haj Ali, commander of the Free Idlib Army rebel group, told Reuters news agency: "Everyone saw the plane while it was bombing with gas." |
| However, the official who led the UN-backed operation to remove Syria's chemical weapons told the UK's Channel 4 News that the Russian version of events could not be discounted. | However, the official who led the UN-backed operation to remove Syria's chemical weapons told the UK's Channel 4 News that the Russian version of events could not be discounted. |
| "If it is Sarin that was stored there and conventional munitions were used, there is every possibility that some of those [chemical] munitions were not consumed and that the Sarin liquid was ejected and could well have affected the population," Jerry Smith said. | "If it is Sarin that was stored there and conventional munitions were used, there is every possibility that some of those [chemical] munitions were not consumed and that the Sarin liquid was ejected and could well have affected the population," Jerry Smith said. |
| Local journalists say there are no military positions in the town itself but an array of broadly aligned rebel groups controlling the area surrounding it. | Local journalists say there are no military positions in the town itself but an array of broadly aligned rebel groups controlling the area surrounding it. |
| Critics of the Russian statement say reports of the release of gas came hours before the times stated by Mr Konoshenkov. | Critics of the Russian statement say reports of the release of gas came hours before the times stated by Mr Konoshenkov. |
| Has Assad used chemical weapons before? | Has Assad used chemical weapons before? |
| The Syrian government was accused by Western powers of firing rockets filled with Sarin at Ghouta, Damascus, killing hundreds of people in August 2013. | The Syrian government was accused by Western powers of firing rockets filled with Sarin at Ghouta, Damascus, killing hundreds of people in August 2013. |
| President Assad denied the charge, blaming rebel fighters, but he did subsequently agree to destroy Syria's chemical arsenal. | President Assad denied the charge, blaming rebel fighters, but he did subsequently agree to destroy Syria's chemical arsenal. |
| Despite that, the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons has continued to document the use of toxic chemicals in attacks in Syria. | Despite that, the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons has continued to document the use of toxic chemicals in attacks in Syria. |
| More than 250,000 people have been killed in Syria's civil war and, after more than six years, no political solution to the fighting is in sight. | More than 250,000 people have been killed in Syria's civil war and, after more than six years, no political solution to the fighting is in sight. |
| Why is there a war in Syria? | Why is there a war in Syria? |