Syrian opposition rebuffs Russian claims over use of sarin gas

National Coalition of Syrian Revolution and Opposition Forces (SNC) stated that the Russian allegations over the Syrian opposition forces' use of sarin gas in March's deadly attack in the Syrian capital Aleppo do not reflect the reality. Issuing a written statement, the Syrian Coalition urged the United Nations (UN) Commission of Inquiry to enter the liberated areas of Syria and investigate the use of internationally prohibited chemical weapons. The Syrian Coalition said they were ready to provide support to the commission to gather samples from the ground and conduct a partial and transparent investigation, ensuring the safe entry and exit of all members of the Commission. "Evidence provided by parties that support Assad’s tyrannical regime with money, weapons, and ammunition is false and clearly fabricated. The Syrian people consider Russia Assad’s partner in the murder of innocent Syrians," noted SNC. In the statement, SNC described the Russian analysis on the use of chemical weapons in Khan al-Assal as a desperate attempt by Russia to deceive the world and justify Assad’s crimes. Moscow's UN envoy Vitaly Churkin argued that an inquiry established that the rebels fired a missile containing the nerve agent sarin at the town of Khan al-Assal. Upon the appeal of the Syrian regime which was followed by those of the Syrian opposition, Britain and France, UN Secrerary-General Ban Ki-moon appointed a commission headed by Ake Sellstrom to investigate the allegations. The United States also asserted in a previous statement that evidence indicated use of chemical weapons by the Syrian regime in multiple incidents in Syria, without confirmed information on the use of chemical weapons by the Syrian opposition. The deadly attack in March in Aleppo's Khan al-Assal town killed 26 people including 16 regime troops.