President Donald Trump warned the Syrian government Sunday that it would pay a ‘big price’ for the recent suspected chemical weapons attack that left as many as 150 people dead over the weekend.
The attack, which occurred in the city of Douma, east of the capital Damascus, involved Syrian government warplanes, and according to anti-Assad monitoring groups, included the use of sarin nerve gas.
Casualty reports run as high as 150 dead with 1,000 more injured from the suspected chemical weapon attack.
On Saturday night, the US State Department announced that it was working to verify the reports.
A day later, President Trump castigated the Syrian government and President Assad, calling the apparent chemical weapon attack “sick”, and warning that the “Animal Assad” would have a “big price to pay” for the use of sarin nerve gas.
“Many dead, including women and children, in mindless CHEMICAL attack in Syria,” tweeted Trump.
The president also singled out Syria’s allies, Iran and Russia, for criticism, and made explicit mention of Russian President Vladimir Putin.
“Area of atrocity is in lockdown and encircled by Syrian Army, making it completely inaccessible to outside world. President Putin, Russia and Iran are responsible for backing Animal Assad. Big price to pay. Open area immediately for medical help and verification. Another humanitarian disaster for no reason whatsoever. SICK!”
Trump later hit former President Barack Obama for his failure to intervene following reports of chemical weapons attacks in 2013.
“If President Obama had crossed his stated Red Line In The Sand, the Syrian disaster would have ended long ago! Animal Assad would have been history!”
The suspected chemical weapon attack comes almost exactly a year after US forces struck a Syrian airbase used in another chemical weapon attack last April.