U.S. made up chemical weapon allegations to justify Syria strike: Russian Defence Minister

The Trump administration falsely accused the Syrian government of using chemical weapons so that it could justify its missile strike on a regime airbase, a Russian Defence Ministry spokesman said Friday.

On Thursday, U.S. forces launched 59 Tomahawk missiles at the Shayrat air base, which U.S. President Donald Trump pinpointed as the origin of a deadly chemical attack that killed over 70 civilians in the city of Khan Sheikhoun.

But Major-General Igor Konashenkov claimed that the Syrian regime doesn’t possess any chemical weapons because it eliminated them between 2013 and 2016 under the terms of a deal brokered by Russia and the U.S.

READ MORE: Airstrikes in Syria further complicate Trump’s relationship with Russia

“All accusations by the United States of alleged violation of the 2013 convention on banning chemical weapons were made in order to justify the strikes and are groundless,” Konashenkov said, adding that Russia is “looking forward” to seeing proof that the Syrian army used chemical weapons in Khan Sheikhoun.

He then blasted the new American administration for using the same dirty tricks as its predecessors to justify “unleashing wars.”

“Allegations, falsifications, grandstand playing with photos and test-tubes with pseudo results in international organizations became the reason for aggression initiation instead of an objective investigation.”

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Konashenkov added that ISIS and rebel groups both launched armed offensives against the Syrian regime following the U.S. missile strikes, stating that “the Russian Defence Ministry hopes that the activities of the insurgents had not been coordinated with the American party.”

READ MORE: U.S. investigating possible Russian role in Syria chemical weapons attack

Russia will suspend cooperation with the Pentagon over a Syrian air space agreement as a result of the strikes, he said.

Russian President Vladimir Putin stated that the incident seriously hurt U.S.-Russia relations.

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