Orang-orang, dipengaruhi
oleh apa yang aktivis katakan adalah gas saraf, yang dirawat di sebuah hospital
di kejiranan Duma di Damsyik 21 Ogos 2013. (People, affected by what activists
say is nerve gas, are treated at a hospital in the Duma neighbourhood of
Damascus August 21, 2013. Reuters (think IN pictures @1WORLDCommunity)
Laporan
serangan kimia besar-besaran berhampiran Damsyik sebagai pemerhati PBB tiba di
Syria. Laporan yang bercanggah muncul senjata kimia baru-baru ini digunakan
dalam Syria. Ini datang pada hari yang sama bahawa pemeriksa PBB tiba di
Damsyik untuk menyiasat dakwaan penggunaan senjata toksik. Angka mangsa terdiri
daripada berpuluh-puluh kepada hampir 1,300 kematian.
(AMARAN:
ARTIKEL YANG MENGANDUNGI PHOTOS GRAPHIC)
Pada
mulanya, Al ‘Arabiya mencatatkan berita 280 mangsa di Twitter. Kemudian, keluar
berita dipertingkatkan angka sehingga 1,188 mangsa, Free Syrian Army memetik.
Balai
Cerap Syria bagi Hak Asasi Manusia mempunyai angka yang lebih rendah, yang
mendakwa berpuluh-puluh orang terbunuh, termasuk kanak-kanak.
Agensi-agensi
berita seperti Reuters dan AP kebanyakannya meletakkan bilangan mangsa di
beratus-ratus, tetapi mengatakan bahawa laporan-laporan tidak boleh disahkan
secara bebas.
George
Sabra, Presiden Majlis Kebangsaan Syria - kumpulan pembangkang utama Syria -
mendakwa bahawa sesetengah 1,300 orang terbunuh dalam serangan tentera kerajaan
berhampiran Damsyik pada hari Rabu, dan mendakwa bahawa senjata kimia yang telah
digunakan.
Bercakap
pada sidang akhbar di Istanbul, Sabra juga mendakwa ia adalah “bukan kali
pertama rejim telah menggunakan senjata kimia.” Beliau menambah bahawa beliau
dianggap serangan Rabu satu “titik perubahan” dalam operasi ketenteraan Assad,
mendakwa bahawa bahan kimia yang telah digunakan “untuk penghapusan bukannya
keganasan.”
Sementara
itu, seorang wartawan RT Arabic berjaya menghubungi beberapa penduduk tempatan
yang mengatakan mereka tidak menyaksikan apa-apa “serangan beracun” di kawasan
itu. Walau bagaimanapun, mereka menunjukkan bahawa tembakan boleh didengar.
Pihak
berkuasa Syria mengeluarkan satu kenyataan berkata terdapat “ada kebenaran
sekalipun” laporan senjata kimia gunakan berdekatan Damsyik. Kejadian itu
dilaporkan berlaku di Ghouta, di wilayah Belt pertanian hijau di sekitar ibu
negara Syria. Rantau Ghouta di pinggir Damsyik terkenal kerana kecenderungan
pembangkang dan telah menjadi tapak pertempuran masa lalu di antara kerajaan
dan pemberontak.
“Jabhat
Al ‘Nusra telah mempunyai kehadiran yang lama di sana dan rantau ini telah
ditanggung beban tekanan ketenteraan yang berterusan untuk beberapa bulan
sekarang,” Charles Lister, seorang penganalisis di Keganasan IHS Jane dan Pusat
Pemberontakan, memberitahu Reuters, merujuk kepada Sunni tegas kumpulan
pemberontak Islam bersekutu dengan Al ‘Qaeda.
‘Reports of massive chemical attack near Damascus as UN observers arrive
in Syria’ Syrian activists inspect the bodies of people they say were killed by
nerve gas in the Ghouta region, in the Duma neighbourhood of Damascus August
21, 2013. ‘Reuters (think IN pictures @1WORLDCommunity)
Reports
of massive chemical attack near Damascus as UN observers arrive in Syria.
Conflicting reports emerged of recent chemical weapons use in Syria. This comes
on the same day that the UN inspectors arrive in Damascus to investigate
allegations of use of toxic arms. The casualty figures range from dozens to
almost 1,300 deaths.
(WARNING:
THE ARTICLE CONTAINS GRAPHIC PHOTOS)
Initially,
Al-Arabiya posted news of 280 victims on Twitter. Later, the news outlet
upgraded the figure up to 1,188 victims quoting the Free Syrian Army.
‘Reports of massive chemical attack near Damascus as UN observers arrive
in Syria’ Syrian activists inspect the bodies of people they say were killed by
nerve gas in the Ghouta region, in the Duma neighbourhood of Damascus August
21, 2013. Reuters (think IN pictures @1WORLDCommunity)
The
Syrian Observatory for Human Rights had a much lower figure, claiming dozens of
people were killed, including children.
News
agencies such as Reuters and AP mostly put the numbers of victims at hundreds,
but say that reports can't be independently verified.
George
Sabra, the president of the Syrian National Council – Syria’s main opposition
group – claimed that some 1,300 people were killed in government forces attacks
near Damascus on Wednesday, and alleged that chemical weapons were used.
Speaking
at a news conference in Istanbul, Sabra also claimed it was “not the first time
the regime has used chemical weapons.” He added that he considered the
Wednesday attack a “turning point” in Assad’s military operations, alleging
that the chemical were used “for annihilation rather than terror.”
Meanwhile,
an RT Arabic correspondent managed to contact some locals who say they haven't
witnessed any “poisonous attack” in the area. However, they point out that
gunfire can be heard.
‘Reports of massive chemical attack near Damascus as UN observers arrive
in Syria’ A boy, affected by what activists say is nerve gas, is treated at a
hospital in the Duma neighbourhood of Damascus August 21, 2013. Reuters
(think IN pictures @1WORLDCommunity)
Syrian
authorities issued a statement saying there is “no truth whatsoever” to reports
of chemical weapons use near Damascus. The incident reportedly took place in
Ghouta, on the green agricultural belt territory surrounding the Syrian
capital. The Ghouta region on the
outskirts of Damascus is known for its opposition inclinations and has been the
site of past clashes between government forces and the rebels.
“Jabhat
al-Nusra has had a long-time presence there and the region has borne the brunt
of sustained military pressure for months now," Charles Lister, an analyst
at IHS Jane's Terrorism and Insurgency Center, told Reuters, referring to a
hardline Sunni Islamist rebel group allied to al-Qaeda.
The
European Union has called for a "thorough and immediate"
investigation of an alleged chemical attack in Syria.
"We
have seen with grave concern the reports of the possible use of chemical
weapons by the Syrian regime. Such accusations should be immediately and
thoroughly investigated," said EU foreign policy spokesman, Catherine
Ashton.
"The
EU reiterates that any use of chemical weapons, by any side in Syria, would be
totally unacceptable."
‘Reports of massive chemical
attack near Damascus as UN observers arrive in Syria’ A handout image released
by the Syrian opposition's Shaam News Network shows bodies of children and
adults laying on the ground as Syrian rebels claim they were killed in a toxic
gas attack by pro-government forces in eastern Ghouta, on the outskirts of
Damascus on August 21, 2013. (AFP Photo –think IN pictures
@1WORLDCommunity)
The
news emerged on the day UN inspectors arrive in Damascus to examine suspected cases
of chemical weapons use in the war-torn country.
The
UN expert and the head of the current mission to Damascus, Swedish scientist
Ake Sellstrom, told news agency TT that while he had only seen TV footage, the
high number of casualties reported sounded suspicious.
"It
sounds like something that should be looked into," he told TT by phone.
"It will depend on whether any UN member state goes to the
secretary-general and says we should look at this event. We are in place."
He
said that the high numbers of killed and wounded being reported are
"suspicious."
Among
those who also voiced their concern are the Arab league spokesman and UK
foreign secretary William Hague.
