Pressure mounts for UN action on Syria

Syria's regime and Russia hit back yesterday at accusations that Damascus was behind a deadly chemical weapons attack, as pressure built for international action over what Washington called an "affront to humanity".

France said it was determined to pursue a UN Security Council resolution to investigate dozens of civilian deaths in a northwestern Syria town, which Turkey blamed on a "chemical attack" by the Damascus government.

Trump described the alleged attack as an "affront to humanity" and warned it had changed his view of Assad.

"I will tell you, it's already happened, that my attitude towards Syria and Assad has changed very much," he told reporters at a joint White House news conference with Jordan's King Abdullah.

At least 86 people were killed early on Tuesday in rebel-held Khan Sheikhun, and dozens more have received treatment for convulsions, breathing problems and foaming at the mouth, reported AFP.

The Syrian government set conditions yesterday for any international inquiry into a suspected chemical attack that killed scores of people, saying it must not be "politicised" and should set out from Damascus and not Turkey, reported Reuters.

Foreign Minister Walid al-Moualem said Syria's past experience with international inquiries had not been encouraging. The government would only decide on the idea once its concerns were addressed, he said.