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Executive Summary for April 5th

We review the key developments in Syria, including Russia defending an alleged chemical weapons attack by the Syrian government, the U.N. saying nearly 7 million people are in need of food assistance and U.S.-backed forces completing besieging al-Tabqa.

Published on April 5, 2017 Read time Approx. 2 minutes

Moscow Defends Syrian Government After Suspected Chemical Weapons Attack

Moscow defended the Syrian government on Wednesday following a suspected toxic gas attack on Tuesday that killed at least 72 civilians in rebel-held Idlib, Agence France-Presse reported.

Twenty children were among those killed in the attack, which targeted the town of Khan Shaykhoun in Idlib province. According to Moscow, the Syrian government airstrikes targeted a “terrorist warehouse.”

The U.S., U.K. and France have accused the Syrian government of the attack; but Damascus has repeatedly denied using chemical weapons, saying it “has never used them, any time, anywhere, and will not do so in the future.”

The Russian defense ministry released a statement saying the airstrikes targeted a warehouse containing “toxic substances,” and that the “arsenal of chemical weapons” was intended for fighters in Iraq.

U.N. chief Antonio Guterres said the attack shows that “war crimes are going on in Syria.”

Nearly 7 Million People in Need of Food Assistance

Nearly 7 million people are in need of food aid in Syria, Reuters reported.

“The number of people who are in need of food assistance in Syria has exceeded 6–7 million people who are in critical food need,” Muhannad Hadi, the U.N. World Food Program’s regional director told Reuters.

Food aid delivery is also restricted in many parts of the country, Hadi said. The WFP delivers aid to nearly 4 million people in Syria every month.

The Syrian conflict has killed at least 320,000 people and left half the population displaced internally or as refugees. Food production during the conflict has gone into free fall, making more people reliant on aid.

“As days pass, as months and weeks pass, the number of people who are in need is increasing. And the situation on the ground is not improving at all … In [a] crisis like Syria, the ones who suffer the most are definitely the children,” Hadi said.

U.S.-Backed Forces Besiege al-Tabqa

U.S.-backed forces have completely besieged al-Tabqa city outside of Raqqa, the so-called Islamic State’s stronghold, according to the United Kingdom-based monitor the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), an alliance of Kurdish and Arab forces backed by the U.S., have been advancing toward the city for two weeks. The city houses an airbase, as well as a strategic dam that provides electricity to large parts of the surrounding region.

The SDF, backed by the U.S.-led coalition, launched an offensive to besiege and take control of Raqqa in November 2016.

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