The U.K.-based monitoring group the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reports dozens of people have been killed, and more than 200 wounded, in a suspected chemical weapons attack on a rebel-held town in Idlib Province in northwest Syria. The observatory reports at least 11 children under the age of eight were killed in the attack. Agence France-Presse is reporting that a few hours after the alleged gas attack a rocket hit a nearby hospital where victims were being treated. The observatory says it does not know whether the attack was carried out by the Syrian government or its ally, Russia.
The Syrian government has denied using chemical weapons during the six-year conflict, although the U.N. says the Syrian government used the chemical weapons at least three times in 2014 and 2015. While speaking at the United Nations on Monday, U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Nikki Haley said the U.S. does not think the Syrian people want to be ruled by President Assad any longer, but on Friday Haley said, “our priority is no longer to sit there and focus on getting Assad out.”