The U.S. government said Thursday that it is unable to conclusively determine that chemical weapons were used in Syria, as it is scrambling to gather all possible information on what happened in the war-torn country that reportedly killed hundreds of people.
Following the release of a video that allegedly shows the after-effects of a chemical weapons attack in Syria, all eyes are on the White House to see whether the United States will get directly involved in the bloody conflict.
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Thursday said the latest alleged chemical weapons attack happening in the suburbs of Damascus, the capital of Syria, needs to be investigated by the world body "without delay."
Russian Foreign Ministry termed on Wednesday media reports about the use of chemical weapons in Syria as "planned provocation" against the ruling regime.
The Syrian opposition accused President Bashar al-Assad's forces of killing 1,193 people in chemical weapon attacks in suburbs of Damascus on Wednesday.
The UN Security Council on Wednesday underlined the need for "clarity" with the latest alleged use of chemical weapons in the eastern suburbs of Damascus, saying "the situation has to be followed carefully."
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon Monday told reporters that a group of experts had begun an investigation into alleged use of chemical weapons in at least three locations during the Syrian conflict.
UN inspectors tasked with investigating the alleged use of chemical weapons in Syria arrived at the war-torn country Sunday.
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki- moon on Wednesday announced that the UN team of chemical weapons inspectors will have an imminent departure for Syria with the formal acceptance of modalities essential for cooperation from Damascus.
Russia's ambassador to the United Nations objected on Thursday to a U.S. assertion Moscow was against a U.N. investigation team to follow up on allegations that chemical weapons have been used during the civil war in Syria.
The White House on Tuesday rejected a Russian claim that the Syrian rebels had used chemical weapons in their fighting against the government troops.
UN chief Ban Ki-moon on Monday welcomed the offer by the Syrian government to discuss the UN chemical weapon investigation, in the hope that Syria would grant access to the mission.
The Central Intelligence Agency ( CIA) has started sending weapons to Jordan with a view to arming small groups of vetted Syrian rebels within a month, the Wall Street Journal reported on Thursday.
Visiting U.S. President Barack Obama on Wednesday proposed plans for the United States and Russia to further cut strategic nuclear warheads during a landmark speech at the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin.
Moscow said Wednesday it cannot welcome U.S. President Barack Obama's proposal of cutting Russian and U.S. strategic nuclear arsenals up to a third.
The United States will not rush to war in Syria as it did in the past in the region, White House chief of staff Denis McDonough said on Sunday.
A White House spokesman said on Tuesday that more evidence is still needed regarding the use of chemical weapons in Syria.
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