According to information received by the Central Military District from local residents and detained members of illegal armed groups, Kafer-Hamra, Aleppo province, as well as Maaret-Misrin and Ericha, Idlib province, under the protection of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham militants * * “came from the pseudo-humanitarian organization“ Bely helmets "with containers containing, presumably, gaseous chlorine."
According to Borenkov, the center received information about the storage of toxic substances in the territory of broadcasting centers in the cities of Jisr al-Shugur and Seracab.
The purpose of the provocation is “to accuse the Syrian authorities of using chemical weapons against civilians,” he said.
On December 12, 2019, the CPVS announced that the terrorists, together with the White Helmets, are preparing dramatization with chemical weapons in Syria.
The White Helmets organization proclaimed its goal to save civilians in war zones. Syrian authorities accuse her of having links with extremists.
The Russian Foreign Ministry called the activities of the “White Helmets” an element of an information campaign to discredit the ATS authorities. In particular, they were blamed for the provocation, which gave rise to the West to accuse Damascus of using chemical weapons and to strike at government facilities.
* “Hayat Tahrir al-Sham” (“Jabhat Fath al-Sham”, “Front al-Nusra”, “Jabhat al-Nusra”) - the organization was recognized as terrorist by decision of the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation dated December 29, 2014.