Baladi - Media
The US, UK and France have threatened to respond if the Syrian government uses chemical weapons. The warning from the three countries comes on the fifth anniversary of a chemical attack in Damascus.
In a joint statement issued on Tuesday, the fifth anniversary of a chemical attack that killed hundreds near the Syrian capital of Damascus, the United States, Britain and France said they would "respond appropriately" if it were to use chemical weapons in the future.
"As we have demonstrated, we will respond appropriately to any further use of chemical weapons by the Syrian regime, which has had such devastating humanitarian consequences for the Syrian population," the statement read.
The trio called on supporters of Bashar al-Assad "to recognize that the unchecked use of chemical weapons by any state presents an unacceptable security threat to all states."
On August 21, 2012, a chemical nerve gas attack killed 300 people in Ghouta, a suburb of Damascus. The use of chemical weapons led to a US-Russia agreement to eliminate Assad's chemical weapons, a move which averted US military strikes in Syria.
The US, UK and France have also accused the Syrian government of using chemical weapons during several military offenses. The three western powers launched punitive military strikes in the Middle Eastern country after a suspected chemical attack in Douma, a city 14.8 kilometers (9.2 miles) west of Damascus.
Source: Deutsche Welle