The Russian Defense Ministry says it has reliable evidence showing that militants have already transported a number of canisters containing chlorine to a village in Syria’s northwestern province of Idlib to stage a false-flag chemical attack and frame Damascus.
Syria's official news agency, SANA, on Sunday cited a statement by Lieutenant General Vladimir Savchenko, a spokesman of the Russian Center for Reconciliation in Syria, a part of the Russian Defense Ministry, saying the chlorine-filled canisters were transported to the southwest village of Bsanqul in the militant-held province.
Savchenko added that the highly poisonous cargo had been delivered to members of the so-called Hayat Tahrir al-Sham Takfiri terrorist group, which is a coalition of different factions of terror outfits, largely composed of the Jabhat Fateh al-Sham Takfiri terrorist group, formerly known as al-Nusra Front.
This is the latest warning from the Russian military on a chemical “provocation” in the making by Idlib-based militants and their allies in an attempt to accuse the Syrian government of using chemical weapons against its people.
On Wednesday, it said the Western-backed White Helmets “aid group”, which stands accused of working with Takfiri militants, had shot videos intended to be used in framing the Syrian government. Earlier, the Russian military had reported that toxic chemicals had been delivered to Idlib, saying that the so-called “aid group” had carried out the delivery.
Syrian army troops are preparing to launch a full-scale military operation against different factions of militants that have practically held hostage the inhabitants of Idlib for a long time.
Both Syria and Russia, a close ally of the Arab country, have already submitted proofs and evidence to the United Nations and the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) showing that terrorists in Idlib are preparing to set up another false-flag chemical attack to frame Damascus and pave the way for the US-led coalition to attack Syrian government troops.
Washington has accused the Syrian government of attacking civilians with chemical weapons in previous operations, including in Douma near capital Damascus and in Khan Shaykhun in Idlib. Syrian authorities have strongly denied any involvement in either case, saying the attacks had been carried out by militants to slow Syria’s progress in the fight against terror.
Damascus and Moscow have warned that the US, along with Britain and France, is gearing up for a new military attack against Syria as the army prepares for the liberation of Idlib.
On April 14, the US, Britain and France launched a coordinated missile strike against sites and research facilities near Damascus and Homs, with the purported goal of undermining the Syrian government’s capability to produce chemicals.
The missile attack came one week after an alleged gas attack hit Douma, just as the Syrian army was about to win the battle against the militants there.
The Arab country surrendered its entire chemical stockpile in 2013 to a mission led by the OPCW and the UN.