Jabhat a-Nusra and Its Affiliated Groups Getting Ready to Use Chemical Weapons against Civilians in Idleb: al-Jaafari

Dr. Bashar Al-Jaafari said that Any Aggression on Syria Will be An Aggression on International and Regional Peace.

NEW YORK, (ST)-Any aggression on Syria will be an aggression on international and regional peace and security, Syria’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations Bashar al-Jaafari has stressed, noting that such an aggression will be an open support for terrorism as it targets all the counterterrorism efforts being exerted by Syria and its allies.

In a Security Council session on Tuesday, al-Jaafari said that the terrorists of Jabhat al-Nusra  terror organization and other affiliated groups, whom the West calls “Moderate opposition”, are getting ready to use chemical weapon against civilians in Idleb in order to blame the Syrian army for the attack and justify a military aggression against Syria by the countries which sponsor these terror groups.

 “Western countries  continue their aggression on Syria through using their black flags and white helmets to stage a new chemical weapon attack aiming to hinder the political process in Syria and justify an aggression against the country,” al-Jaafari said.

He reiterated that Syria has repeatedly stressed that it considers the use of chemical weapon as a immoral act and that it strongly denounce their use, renewing Syria’s condemnation of the recent threats by the United States, France and Britain in this regard.

“Syria reaffirms that it doesn’t have chemical weapons after it has implemented all its obligations towards the organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), he said.

He made it clear that “the Syrian chemical stockpile was destroyed in the Mediterranean on board of an American ship, while Israel’s stockpile of nuclear, chemical and biological weapons is waiting for the bless of this council.”

In response to statements by representatives of some Security Council member states,  Al-Jaafari said that Syria has accepted 2700 requests from World Food Program to deliver aid to the liberated regions.

“The Syrian Arab Red Crescent continuously cooperates with local and international humanitarian partners to deliver the aid and send tens of convoys to the needy areas,” he added.

Terrorists holding thousands of civilians in Idleb as hostages: Nebenzya

On his part, Russia’s Permanent Representative at the UN Vasily Nebenzya said that members of the “White Helmets” have transported two toxic gas containers in Idleb province as to use them against civilians in order to justify a US aggression on Syria.

 He added that Jabhat al-Nusra terror organization and its affiliated groups are holding thousands of civilians in Idleb as hostages and preventing them from leaving the city.

Nebenzya warned against new western aggression on Syria based on fabricated news and allegations about using chemical weapons against civilians in Idleb.

Reacting to a statement made by UK Ambassador to the UN Karen Pierce, Nebenzya said Russia’s Defense Ministry, unlike foreign agencies, does not spread fake news, particularly on Syria.

Earlier on Tuesday, Pierce told reporters that the Russian Defense Ministry’s statement about preparations for a chemical weapons provocation involving White Helmets members was “fake news”.

“The Russian Defense Ministry does not have a habit of making fake and ridiculous statements like defense ministries in other countries probably do,” Nenbezya said.

“If the Russian Defense Ministry says something it means it knows something,” the Russian envoy stressed, confirming that “another chemical weapons provocation is being planned in Syria.”

The Russian diplomat stressed that the Syrian army does not possess any chemical weapons, pointing out that any western attack in Syria will harm the political process in the country.

The western states are protecting terrorists and manipulating the chemical file to exert pressure on the Syrian government, meantime, the colonial policy continues with the aim of dividing Syria instead of focusing on political settlement and counterterrorism efforts in the country, Nebenzya said.

He also asserted that the illegal presence of the US forces in al-Tanf area violates Syria’s sovereignty.

Hamda Mustafa