West likely to use report on alleged chlorine use last year to pressure Syria – Moscow

A report from international inspectors saying that a “toxic chemical” containing chlorine was used in an attack last April in the Syrian town of Douma is likely to be used by the West to exert pressure on Damascus, Moscow has said. Douma at the time was held by rebels but besieged by pro-government forces. The attack on April 7, 2018 prompted airstrikes against the Syrian government by Britain, France and the US. “The toxic chemical was likely molecular chlorine,” the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) said on March 1. The report appeared almost a year after the incident and is likely to be used by governments opposed to Damascus to support baseless accusations against Syria, the Russian Foreign Ministry said on Tuesday. It added that the report may also be aimed at justifying airstrikes carried out last April by the US, Britain and France.