Global watchdog identifies Syrian battalions responsible for chemical attack

A chemical weapons watchdog has identified the battalions of the Syrian regime forces which carried out chlorine gas attacks on civilians in Aleppo.

The Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), working with the UN, named two Syrian regime helicopter squadrons and two separate units in its inquiry findings today.

"It was the 22nd Division, the 63rd Brigade and the 255 and 253 squadrons of the Syrian government," an unidentified Western diplomat told Reuters.

Regime forces have always denied using chemical weapons and have said they would work with the OPCW over accusations they used poison gas.

"The Syrian state... and we, the Syrian Arab army, have said more than once that the army has not and will not use any banned weapon, especially chemical or poison weapons," a Syrian military source said, according to Reuters.

"This issue is completely void of truth. We consider the United Nations to be a tool in the hands of some countries which support terrorists."

Independent reports have found that regime forces have been using chlorine gas on civilians in Aleppo since 2014.