Russia moves again to block extension of UN investigation into Syria chemical attacks

For the second time in two days, Russia has used its veto power to block a United Nations Security Council resolution to extend an international inquiry into chemical weapons attacks in Syria.

The attacks are widely thought to have been perpetrated by Syria's government, which has fought back rebel forces with the backing of Moscow.

The draft resolution drafted by Japan proposed to prolong the Joint Investigative Mechanism's mandate by 30 days. With Russia having now used its veto for the 11th time since 2011 to support Damascus, the JIM's mandate will expire on midnight on Friday.

Russia had previously used its veto on Thursday to prevent a US-written draft from extending the mechanism's mandate by a year. The inquiry

Set up in 2015, the JIM is the only official mission tasked with investigating chemical weapons attacks in Syria. The inquiry drew Russian criticism when it said that President Bashar al-Assad's government was responsible for the deaths of 80 people in April who were killed in a Sarin gas attack on opposition-held Khan Sheikhoun.

Russia and Syria strongly denied using illegal chemical weapons, with Russia's deputy UN ambassador Vladimir Safrankov recently describing the probe as a hunt for a "mythical or invented chemical weapons in Damascus."

Top US, British, French and German diplomats, meanwhile,  have urged the UN Security Council to renew the mandate of experts investigating chemical attacks.