UN Urges Clarity over Syria Attacks

UN Security Council BBC UN officials say alleged chemical weapons attacks which Syria's oppositions says killed hundreds near Damascus were a "serious escalation". Deputy Secretary-General Jan Eliasson made the comments after briefing an emergency UN Security Council meeting about Wednesday's incident. The Security Council also said that clarity was needed over the attacks, reports the BBC. Some 35 member states called for UN weapons inspectors already in Syria to be dispatched immediately to the scene. Opposition activists said that more than 1,000 people were killed after government forces launched rockets with toxic agents into the Damascus suburbs in the Ghouta region early on Wednesday. The Syrian government has denied the allegations, describing them as "illogical and fabricated". The Syrian army said the opposition made up the claims to divert attention from the huge losses its forces had suffered recently. The BBC has been unable to independently confirm the death toll. "There must be clarity on what happened and the situation must be followed closely," Argentina's UN ambassador and current Security Council president, Maria Cristina Perceval, said after a closed-door meeting on Wednesday evening. Council members also "welcomed the determination of the Secretary-General (Ban Ki-moon) to ensure a thorough, impartial and prompt investigation," she added. Eliasson, who also spoke to reporters after the meeting, said any investigation into the incident would require the consent of the Syrian government and was dependent on the security situation. This followed calls by some 35 member states - including the US, UK and France - for the UN chemical weapons inspectors that are already probing three sites of alleged chemical weapons use in Syria to be dispatched immediately to the scene to investigate. The inspectors arrived in Damascus on Sunday with a mandate to investigate three locations including the northern town of Khan al-Assal, where some 26 people were killed in March. But the official Syrian Sana news agency said reports of the latest attack were "baseless", describing them as "an attempt to divert the UN chemical weapons investigation commission away from carrying out its duties". BBC correspondents say China and Russia - which have repeatedly backed the Syrian government since the crisis began - blocked a stronger security council press statement supported by the 35 states. Opposition activists say the attack took place as part of heavy government bombardment in the region surrounding Damascus, with government forces trying to drive out rebel forces. The areas said to have been affected included Irbin, Duma and Muadhamiya