Sky News, 26 February 2018 – The Syrian government has been accused by opposition activists of launching a deadly chlorine gas attack in the rebel-held enclave of eastern Ghouta.
The pro-opposition Orient News claimed a child had been killed in the reported attack by a regime aircraft on the town of al Shifuniyah.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitor also reported the youngster’s death and said 13 people had suffered breathing difficulties.
Yaqub, a doctor who treated those affected in hospital, said he suspected “chemical weapons, probably a chlorine gas attack”.
He said a three-year-old had died of asphyxiation.
A US medical organisation said 16 patients in the hospital had symptoms indicating they were exposed to chemical compounds.
The Syrian American Medical Society said among those being treated with oxygen masks were six children and four women.

 A child suffocates and over a dozen people suffer breathing difficulties in the rebel-held enclave of eastern Ghouta, say reports.

Heavy clashes erupted in southern areas of eastern Ghouta, killing at least 13 members of pro-regime forces and six fighters from the Jaish al Islam rebel group, he said.
Syrian state news agency SANA said insurgents breached the truce by firing 15 shells on Sunday on government-held areas on the edge of Ghouta.
The two main rebel groups controlling the enclave – Jaish al Islam and Faylaq al Rahman – welcomed the Security Council demand, but vowed to fight back if there were renewed attacks.
UN diplomats say the resolution was watered down to ensure it was not vetoed by Russia, which has provided diplomatic and military support to the Assad regime.