Russia has threatened the “gravest” of consequences to any foreign power considering military action against Syria over “fabricated” reports of a chemical attack. Moscow warned against taking action as US President Donald Trump said there would be a “big price to pay” for the atrocity. Russia, whose military backing of President Bashar al-Assad turned the course of the war in his favor, denied that Syrian government forces deployed chemical weapons in the Syrian city of Douma.
A joint statement by the medical relief organization Syrian American Medical Society (SAMS) and the civil defense service, which operates in rebel-held areas, said 49 people had died in the attack late on Saturday. Others put the toll even higher. But Syrian state media denied government forces had launched any chemical attack as soon as the reports began circulating. READ MORE
