U.S. Believes Syrian Government Using Chlorine Gas

CNN reports that the Obama administration and its allies “believe the Syrian government may have used chlorine gas in a deadly attack this month on its own people.

“The alleged assault that killed at least two and affected dozens of others occurred in the village of Kafr Zeita, a rebel-held area. While there is no firm proof as the matter is being looked into, several U.S. officials and Western diplomats say the United States believes the regime of Bashar al-Assad is responsible because it has such chemicals and the means to deliver them.”

A U.S. official told the network that “‘Our assessment is it is, at a minimum, concentrated chlorine dropped from helicopters. That could only be the regime.’

The official did not speak for full attribution. If true, such an attack would spotlight a deal brokered by Russia last fall and approved by the U.N. Security Council that requires Syria to surrender its chemical weapons to the international community.”

Weakened Rebels Make Last Stand in Homs

The AP reports that weakened rebels are making their last “desperate” stand in Homs, as Assad forces “launch their harshest assault yet to expel them from the central city, once known as the capital of the revolution.”

Some rebels remaining in the city are talking of surrender, while “others have lashed back against the siege with suicide car bombings in districts under government control. Some fighters are turning on comrades they suspect want to desert, pushing them into battle.” One activist told the wire that “We expect Homs to fall. In the next few days, it could be under the regime’s control.”

“The fight for Homs underscores Assad’s determination to rout rebels ahead of presidential elections now set for June 3, aiming to scatter fighters back further north toward their supply lines on the Turkish borders. Assad’s forces are building on gains elsewhere — they have been able to almost clear rebels from a broad swath of territory south of Homs between the capital, Damascus, and the Lebanese border, breaking important rebel supply lines there.”

For Extremists In Syria, Extortion Brings Piles Of Cash From Iraq

NPR reports that renegade Islamist group the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant now controls swaths of Syria and Iraq, “and it’s partly because the fighters are so rich. ISIS is known for having the biggest guns and paying the highest salaries.

“While kidnapping, oil smuggling and donations from sympathizers have been well-known sources of money, the groups also run complex and brutal protection rackets, according to analysts.”

One analyst says Iraqi officials estimate that “extremist militants take in more than $1 million a month in extortion from the northern Iraqi city of Mosul” alone. “Certainly since late 2012, early 2013, I’ve seen a number of reports to suggest that ISIS’s activities in extortion and acquiring levies on transport and real estate having increased fairly dramatically,” he tells the station.

Suggested Reads from Our Editorial Team

NY Times: Syrian Election Announced; Rebels Report New Weapons

TIME: White House Debates Game Changer Weapon for Syria

Al Jazeera: Syria’s War Cripples Its Healthcare System