Syria accuses Turkey of giving chemical weapons to opposition forces

ISTANBUL

Smoke rises from Sheikh Saeed on the Airport Road near Aleppo city April 13, 2013. REUTERS/George Ourfalian

Syrian Information Minister Omran al-Zoubi has accused Turkey, along with Britain and France, of providing chemical weapons for the Syrian opposition forces, Doğan news agency reported.

"Where do the rockets fired in al-Assal come from? We should ask Turkey, Britain and France about the source of these chemical weapons," al-Zoubi said, according to the Syrian state-run SANA news agency.

He also denied claims that regime forces had used chemical weapons.

Both the Syrian government and rebel forces have accused each other of using chemical weapons on March 19, in the Khan al-Assal district near Aleppo, which is around 30 kilometers from the Turkish border.

The Syrian regime recently refused to grant the access demanded by the United Nations for an inquiry into the alleged use of chemical weapons in the ongoing conflict.