Moscow and Damascus have repeatedly accused the White Helmets NGO of staging a number of provocations in Syria involving chemical weapons attacks to influence public opinion and provide foreign powers with a justification for interventions in the Arab country.
‘Shells Filled With Chlorine’
The Russian Defence Ministry has confirmed the use of chlorine-filled shells during the November 25 terrorist attack on the Syrian city of Aleppo.
The ministry did not rule out that the White Helmets non-governmental organization could be behind the attack, in which more than 70 civilians were injured. The Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA), in turn, reported that at least 107 people were wounded.
At Least 73 Injured in Aleppo Attack
Earlier, the Russian Defence Ministry’s Centre for Syrian Reconciliation reported that on Saturday evening, terrorist groups located in the Idlib de-escalation zone fired 120-millimeter shells at the north-western districts of Aleppo from the south-eastern part of the demilitarized zone.
Preparations for New Chemical Weapons Attacks
The Russian Centre for Syrian Reconciliation reported earlier this month that militants were preparing new chemical agent attacks in Syria. The Russian Defence Ministry in turn argued that terrorists from the Turkistan Islamic Party had delivered at least 20 containers filled with 10 litres of chlorine each to Syria.
The Ministry also warned that the Tahrir al-Sham terrorist group, affiliated with the Nusra Front, was planning a chemical attack against civilians in Syria to provoke Western nations into retaliating against Damascus.
In late August, the Russian Centre for Syrian Reconciliation reported that White Helmets group have delivered a large shipment of toxic substances to a warehouse used by Ahrar al-Sham militants in Idlib province.