05/04/2017
When they first got to the site of yesterday morning's airstrike first responders, residents and activists were confused by the lack of the damage to the buildings. They described an almost eerie scene - no one was answering their doors, the street weren't full of people running from rubble, flames and dust clouds. When they broke down the doors of the homes they found men, women and children in their beds foaming at the mouths and convulsing. It wasn't until their own lungs started to close, when the searing pain clawed up their own throats they realised what was going on - toxic gas. Many of those who went to the aid of the residents targeted by what looks like a chemical weapons attack, were themselves hospitalised.
The death toll of the attack varies from 58 to 100 dead. AFP said this morning as many as 20 children were killed in the attack. Doctors told us the injuries - pinpoint pupils, convulsions, unresponsiveness, difficulty breathing, cold limbs - pointed to sarin gas, a nerve agent.
A second round of airstrikes then took out a local hospital where the wounded were being treated and the centre for the Syria Civil Defence, the first responders in the area.
Russia, meanwhile, claims Syria bombed a rebel chemical arsenal.
https://www.thetimes.co.uk/edition/world/noses-full-of-foam-eyes-half-closed-victims-died-gasping-6pf9m3hhw
There was not much destruction to be seen in the town of Khan Sheikhoun as the warplanes vanished beyond the horizon — but any sense of relief felt by the medics who rushed in to help was short-lived.
