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White House Warns Syria Against New Chemical Attack 'Preparations'

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The White House is warning Syrian President Bashar al-Assad he will pay a very heavy price if he carries out another chemical weapons attack against his people.

Press Secretary Sean Spicer issued a statement Monday night saying the U.S. has "potential" evidence the Assad regime is preparing another chemical attack like the one that took place in early April.

"The United States has identified potential preparations for another chemical weapons attack by the Assad regime that would likely result in the mass murder of civilians, including innocent children," the statement read. 

On Tuesday, Pentagon spokesman Capt. Jeff Davis said the activity was spotted at the Syrian army's Shayrat airfield, the place from which the U.S. says jets departed before the last chemical assault.

"This involved specific aircraft in a specific hangar, both of which we know to be associated with chemical weapons use," Capt. Davis said. 

"The Department of Defense remains focused on operations to defeat ISIS," he continued. "Nevertheless, the continued brutality of the Asad regime and his use of chemical weapons presents a clear threat to regional stability and security as well as the national security interests of the United States our allies."   

The activities are similar to preparations the regime made before its April 4, 2017 chemical weapons attack.

"If... Mr. Assad conducts another mass murder attack using chemical weapons, he and his military will pay a heavy price," Spicer warned.

The April 4 attack on the rebel-held town of Khan Sheikhoun was reportedly the third chemical strike by the Syrian regime in a little over a week. At least 60 civilians, including more than a dozen children, died from what appeared to be Sarin nerve gas, which causes death by asphyxiation, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported at the time.

On April 6, President Trump ordered the U.S. Navy to retaliate with a salvo of 59 Tomahawk missiles on the Syrian airbase from which the chemical attacks were believed to have been launched.

Meanwhile, Syria's government denies it is preparing another chemical attack, and Syrian President Bashar al-Assad had previously said the Khan Sheikhoun incident was fabricated.

U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Nikki Haley warned that "any further attacks done to the people of Syria will be blamed on Assad, but also on Russia and Iran who support him killing his own people."

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