At least 70 people were killed after a chemical attack on Saturday, April 7, in a small town of Douma in Syria.

Douma, located in Syria’s Eastern Ghouta region, is the last town with the remaining rebel group.

According a recent report by BBC, a helicopter dropped a barrel bomb containing Sarin, a toxic nerve agent, on Saturday.

The White Helmets, a volunteer organization in rebel-controlled regions in Syria and Turkey, initially reported 42 death casualties and the Union of Medical Care and Relief Organizations (UOSSM), later confirmed 70 deaths. More than 500 people, mostly women and children, were transferred to local medical centers with symptoms including excessive oral foaming and critical respiratory distress.

◎International Repercussions

President Trump condemned the chemical attack and said the White House is investigating the situation closely and will find out who is behind the attack.

“We’ll be making some major decisions over the next 24-48 hours,” said President Trump on Monday.

“This is about humanity,” added Trump, “and it can’t be allowed to happen.”

President Trump tweeted on Sunday, “President Putin, Russia and Iran are responsible for backing Animal Assad.”

While Syrian government denies its involvement in the death of dozens of people in Douma, it did not stop Israel from holding Assad regime accountable for the attack. Israel launched a missile attack against Syrian air base hours after the chemical attack.

The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom Theresa May has also condemned the chemical attack.

“Saturday’s horrific attack against the people of Douma, among them a number of innocent children, was utterly reprehensible,” said May, “This has been an absolutely barbaric attack that has taken place.”

The prime minister added, “We are clear that those responsible should be held to account.”

◎Russia is calling the attack “a hoax”

Russia, Syrian government’s long-standing ally, is referring to the chemical attack on Saturday as a “far-fetched and fabricated pretext [for military intervention] in Syria”.

Russia’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement that foreign military intervention in Syria based on “a hoax” is unacceptable and could lead to severe consequences.

In April 2017, approximately one year ago today, U.S. launched a missile attack in Syrian air base in response to Assad regime killing nearly 100 civilians with chemical weapon.