Saudi slams alleged Syria poison gas attacks in the town of Kafr Zita [Kfar Zeita?]

Saudi Arabia on Tuesday condemned the Syrian regime’s alleged use of poison gas in central Hama, calling for “stern” action by the international community against Damascus.
Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Affairs Minister Prince Saud al-Faisal said the “dangerous information on the regime’s recent use of toxic gases against civilians in the town of Kafr Zita,” in the central Hama province, represent “clear defiance” of the U.N. Security Council.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a Britain-based monitoring group, said residents choking from poisoning in the rebel-held town of Kafr Zita were hospitalized after bombing raids on Friday, AFP reported.

Activists in the area took to Facebook to accuse the regime of using chlorine gas, saying it caused “more than 100 cases of suffocation.”
Syria’s state television claimed that al-Nusra Front, an al-Qaeda affiliate and key force in the armed revolt, had released chlorine in a deadly attack on the town.
Saudi Arabia is one of the main backers of the uprising against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, which has escalated into a civil war increasingly seen as a proxy battle between Riyadh and its regional rival Iran.

• The 2012 peace conference called for a transitional government ahead of free and fair elections, with no mention of Assad’s role in the transition.

Syrian daily Al-Watan reported Tuesday that parliament speaker Mohamed Jihad Lahham will next week announce the date of the country’s presidential election, expected to be held around June despite the ongoing conflict.
“The announcement by the Syrian regime to hold elections is an escalation and undermines Arab and international efforts to peacefully resolve the crisis based on the (outcomes of) the Geneva I conference,” the Saudi foreign minister said.
The international community, including U.N.-Arab League envoy Lakhdar Brahimi, have criticized Syria’s plan to go ahead with the vote, which would likely see the embattled Assad win another seven-year mandate.

Last Update: Tuesday, 15 April 2014 KSA 17:39 - GMT 14:39 

[english.alarabiya.net]

15/4/14

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Related:

 

• Moscow alarmed by reports on chemical weapons use in Syria. Special responsibility was first of all with neighbouring on Syria countries. -- Sergei Lavrov

• UN called on to investigate poisonous gas usage in Syria

• US Looking into Syria Poison Gas Reports ...

• Syrian regime, opposition forces blame each other for chemical attack 

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• Lavrov: ‘Either secure Syria's chemical weapons, or arm its rebels’ (EXCLUSIVE RT) [2012]

• Turkey, US dismiss Seymour Hersh report. --White House statement confirmed the Syrian regime was behind the August 21 attack

• Syrian opposition accuses Assad of new "chemical attack" again, and even provides "video proof"