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U.S. says ‘chemical weapons were likely used against Syrian rebels’


U.S. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel first announced the assessment of the U.S. intelligence community that Damascus has used chemical weapons but on a small scale during a visit to Abu Dhabi. (Reuters)
Al Arabiya with AFP -
The White House said Thursday that Syria had likely used chemical weapons against rebel forces on a “small scale,” but emphasized U.S. spy agencies were still not 100 percent sure, AFP reported.
U.S. intelligence services had been investigating reports that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s forces had used chemical arms - a move Washington has said would cross a “red line,” triggering possible military action.
U.S. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel first announced the assessment during a visit to Abu Dhabi, saying the “decision to reach this conclusion was made within the past 24 hours.”
“Our intelligence community does assess with varying degrees of confidence that the Syrian regime has used chemical weapons on a small scale in Syria, specifically the chemical agent sarin,” National Security Council spokeswoman Caitlin Hayden said.
“Given the stakes involved, and what we have learned from our own recent experience, intelligence assessments alone are not sufficient,” Hayden however cautioned.

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