INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
alleged chemical attack on an ex-rebel town, despite warnings from Russia.Here is a recap of a week of high-stakes international
drama:'Toxic gas'On April 7 the Syrian American Medical Society (SAMS) and Syria's White Helmets rescue force jointly say more than 40
people have died in a "poisonous chlorine gas attack" in Douma, the last opposition-held town in Eastern Ghouta near the capital.Blaming the
government, they say there are "more than 500 cases" of people with "symptoms indicative of exposure to a chemical agent".The Syrian
Observatory for Human Rights, a Britain-based monitor, does not confirm a chemical attack
regime and its key ally Russia deny any chemical attack.'Big price to pay'The following day, US President Donald Trump tweets that there
fabricated pretexts" which "could have the most dire consequences".Military alertOn April 9, US ambassador at the UN, Nikki Haley, says
Washington is determined to "see the monster who dropped chemical weapons on the Syrian people is held to account".The USS Donald Cook -- a
guided-missile destroyer -- leaves Cyprus, moving within easy striking range of Syria.On April 10, the Syrian army puts its airports and
military bases on alert, the Observatory reports.The global chemical weapons watchdog, the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical
Weapons, announces a fact-finding mission to Douma.Missiles 'coming'On April 11, Trump tells Moscow to be prepared for a retaliatory missile
"Get ready Russia, because they will be coming, nice and new and smart!" he says on Twitter.But the White House says later that no final
decisions on a response have been made.The Russian defence ministry dismisses footage of attack victims as "yet another fake" and a staged
control as more rebel fighters leave Douma."Of course, the chemical attack is what pushed us to agree" to a withdrawal, a top rebel official
by London'Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov says Moscow has "irrefutable" evidence the alleged attack was staged as part of a
"Russophobic campaign".The Russian military points the finger at London.At the Security Council, UN chief Antonio Guterres warns the
spiralling tensions could lead to a "full-blown military escalation".Strikes launchedSeveral consecutive blasts are heard in Damascus at 4
am (0100 GMT), with airplanes overhead and smoke rising from certain areas, an AFP correspondent says.At the same time Trump announces he
has "ordered the United States armed forces to launch precision strikes on targets associated with the chemical weapons capabilities of
Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad."Britain and France confirm their participation and their allies line up behind the action.More than 100
victims among the Syrian civilians or military, it says.Syria's government denounces the strikes as "barbaric" and Iran warns of "regional
consequences".Russia calls for an emergency session of the UN Security Council.(This story has not been edited by staff and is
auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
