Oppositions fighter accuse President Bashar al-Assad of using chemical weapons The Syrian government has denied charges that the army was behind a chemical weapons attack, in the capital of Damascus, that killed dozens of civilians and left many injured. The state run SANA news agency said, \"Reports on the use of chemical weapons in (the suburbs of) Ghouta are totally false.\"
It said \"unfounded\" reports from opposition activists have been broadcasted by Al-Jazeera, Sky and other satellite news channels,  \"which are implicated in the shedding of Syrian blood and support terrorism.\"
Activists from the Syrian Revolution General Commission -a coalition of opposition groups, said at least 640 people, including women and children were killed in a nerve gas attack on Wednesday, by forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad, in the Ghouta region of Damascus.
Bayan Baker, a nurse at Douma Emergency Collection facility said the death toll from the attack was 213, collated from different medical centers in the city.
Free Syrian Army fighters said government forces fired rockets laden with chemical agents at the suburbs of Ain Tarma, Zamalka and Jobar, killing hundreds of civilians.
The attack coincides with the United Nations chemical weapons inspections team who arrived in the country two days ago.
The British-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights initial reports showed dozens of people were killed during the fierce bombardment.  It said the town of Mouadamiya, southwest of the capital was hit the heaviest.
It called on the UN inspection team to visit the affected areas and to,” launch an investigation to determine who was responsible for the bombardment and hold them to account\".