Trump blames Russia, Iran for backing ‘Animal Assad’

US President Donald Trump condemned the chemical attack carried out in Syria’s Douma that killed dozens including women and children, and held the Assad regime responsible.

In a series of tweets on his official account on Sunday, Trump blamed Putin and Iran for backing “Animal Assad” as he put it. He added that they will have a “big price to pay” and called for the area to be immediately open for humanitarian aid.

Trump went on to say that former President Obama is also to blame for not going ahead with his “Red Line” plan when he was in office. Obama had called the use of chemical weapons in Syria a red line, and gave the Assad regime an ultimatum that led to him threatening to use force against Assad.

However, they ended up reaching a peaceful resolution which was criticized by both political parties as lacking resolve and decision-making. Trump had called it a national “humiliation”.

Many countries and leading figures, including Turkey and Pope Francis, have also condemned the attack.

“There is not a good war and a bad one, and nothing, nothing can justify the use of such devices of extermination against defenseless people and populations,” Pope Francis said.

Syrian state media denied government forces had launched any chemical attack as soon as the reports began circulating and said rebels in the eastern Ghouta town of Douma were in a state of collapse and spreading false news.

However, horrific pictures and videos are being circulated across social media platforms showing several children suffering from the attack.