Washington: Syrian President Bashar al-Assad may be preparing another chemical weapons attack, one that would result in the “mass murder” of civilians, the White House said on Tuesday, warning the regime would pay a “heavy price” if it went ahead with such an assault.
“The US has identified potential preparations for another chemical weapons attack by the Assad regime that would likely result in the mass murder of civilians, including innocent children,” spokesman Sean Spicer said in a statement.
The White House said the preparations were similar to those undertaken by the Assad regime ahead of an apparent chemical attack on a rebel-held town in April.
Washington had launched a retaliatory cruise missile strike days later against a Syrian airbase from where it said the chemical weapons attack was launched.
That assault with 59 Tomahawk missiles marked the first direct US attack on the Syrian regime and Mr Trump’s most dramatic military action since he took power in January.
The Pentagon has said that the warning of chemical attack was based on suspect activity at the launch site of the regime’s apparent chemical strike in April.
Russia, which has supported the Syrian regime since 2015 with air strikes against what it says are Islamist extremists, voiced anger at the tough rhetoric.
Meanwhile, a US-led coalition air strikes killed nearly 60 people at a Syrian prison run by the Islamic State group, a monitor said on Tuesday, as Washington insisted the jihadists remain its only target.
