Syria 'chemical' attack: Ban Ki-moon urges swift probe

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has said the alleged chemical weapons attack near the Syrian capital "needs to be investigated without delay".

He is sending disarmament chief Angela Kane to Damascus to press for an investigation, his spokesman Eduardo del Buey said on Thursday.

"Any use of chemical weapons anywhere, by anybody, under any circumstances, would violate international law," he went on. "Such a crime against humanity should result in serious consequences for the perpetrator,"

The UN has asked the Syrian government to allow a team of UN weapons inspectors already in the country to investigate the latest incident.