Filming of staged chemical attack in Syria’s Idlib begins, Russian top brass says

The filming of staged chemical attack, allegedly carried out by the Syrian army against civilians, is already underway in the Idlib Governorate with the terrorists’ assistance, the Russian Defense Ministry’s Center for Reconciliation of the Opposing Sides in Syria told reporters.

"According to the data from the Idlib Governorate’s residents, currently the filming of a staged provocation of the alleged chemical weapons use by the Syrian army against the civilians is underway in Jisr ash-Shugur. Film crews from several Middle East TV channels and also a regional branch of a leading US news TV channel arrived in Jisr ash-Shugur this morning for filming," the center said.

The scenario includes a staged video of providing assistance to the citizens of Jisr ash-Shugur and activists of the Civil Defense (the White Helmets) after the alleged use of the so-called barrel bombs with toxic substances. The militants delivered two samples with a poisonous substance including chlorine this morning to ensure that the filming looks "natural," the center said.

The Russian military notes that all videos are to be sent to the editorial offices of TV channels for broadcast after they are posted in social networks.

In late August, the Russian Defense Ministry warned that militants were making preparations together with British intelligence services to stage a chemical weapons attack in the Idlib Governorate and blame it on the Syrian government. The ministry later said that the US-led Western coalition planned to use this provocation as a pretext to carry out another strike on Syria’s government facilities.

The United States is already pulling in its forces to Syria. According to the ministry, in late August USS The Sullivans armed with 56 cruise missiles arrived in the Persian Gulf, while a US B1-B bomber equipped with 24 air-to-surface standoff missiles was relocated to the Al Udeid US air base in Qatar.