The world's chemical weapons watchdog is investigating recent attacks in the besieged, rebel-held Syrian region of Eastern Ghouta to determine whether banned munitions were used, sources said.
The Hague-based Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) opened an investigation on Sunday into reports of the repeated use of chlorine bombs this month in the district near the Syrian capital, diplomatic sources said.
Political leaders in France, the United States and United Kingdom said this month they would back targeted military action against Damascus if there were proof of chemical weapons use by forces under President Bashar Assad.