The Khan Shaykhun chemical attack took place on April, 4 2017 in the Idlib Governorate of Syria.
At the time of the attack, the town was under the control of Tahrir al-Sham, formerly known as the al-Nusra Front.
The town was reported to have been struck by a heavy airstrike by government forces followed by massive civilian chemical poisoning. The release of the toxic gas, which included sarin, or a similar substance, killed at least 74 people and injured more than 557, according to the Idlib health authority.
The attack was the deadliest use of chemical weapons in the Syrian civil war since the Ghouta chemical attack in 2013.
[READ NEXT: Which chemical weapon was used in Syria? Here’s what investigators know.]
On Tuesday, CNN released chilling footage of aftermath, including children gasping for their last breath.
WARNING: Video is disturbing.
Exclusive report: Harrowing new footage shows the final moments of children killed in Syria chemical attack https://t.co/KG0cA28O8E pic.twitter.com/7R52cl9PDH
— CNN (@CNN) May 9, 2017
The attack was conducted by the forces of Syrian President Bashar Assad according to international human rights organizations and governments of the United States, United Kingdom, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, France, and Israel. The Assad government denied using any chemical weapons in the air strike.The Russian Defense Ministry said Syrian aircraft bombed a warehouse belonging to rebels which “may have contained a rebel chemical arms stockpile”.
In response, on 7 April, the United States launched 59 cruise missiles at Shayrat Air Base, which U.S. intelligence believed was the source of the attack.
