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France calls for emergency UN Security Council meeting

Xinhua, April 4, 2017 Adjust font size:

French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault on Tuesday called for an emergency meeting of the United Nations Security Council following reports of an alleged gas attack in Syria's rebel-held Idlib province.

"A new and particularly serious chemical attack took place this morning in Idlib province. The first information suggests a large number of victims, including children," Ayrault said.

Condemning the "disgusting act", the top French diplomat called on "everyone not to shirk their responsibilities, to cope with such serious actions which threaten international security."

According to a report of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a suspected military attack killed at least 58 people, including 11 children, in the rebel-held northwestern province of Idlib on Tuesday.

A senior Syrian military officer, however, has denied reports of military toxic attack on rebel-held area in Idlib.

"This didn't happen and will not happen, not now and not before," the military officer told Xinhua on condition of anonymity.

The opposition accused the Syrian air force of being behind the attack.

But the senior officer, who spoke condition of anonymity, said the rebels were the ones using the toxic gas against civilians to frame the Syrian army. Endit