Syria has no need for chemical weapons, says government official

Two Syrian officials have denied that their government has used chemical weapons against rebel forces, saying the regime had no need for them.

A Syrian government official said the government did not and will not use chemical weapons even if it had them.

He spoke to The Associated Press on condition he not be named.

Syrian official Sharif Shehadeh called the US claims “lies” and likened them to false accusations that Iraq possessed weapons of mass destruction ahead of the US invasion.