White House condemns 'heinous' attack in Syria

WASHINGTON (AP) — The White House today said a suspected chemical attack by the Syrian government against civilians "cannot be ignored by the civilized world," but it fell short of offering a plan of action.

Spokesman Sean Spicer said today's attack in Syria's rebel-held northern Idlib is "heinous" and "reprehensible" – describing it as a catastrophe made worse by the inaction of the Obama administration.

Spicer said the White House has received a number of phone calls from European allies questioning how it would address the problem, pressing President Donald Trump's "America First" administration to take a bold position on this civil war that has killed hundreds of thousands and prompted the worst refugee crisis since World War II.

"I'm not ready to talk about our next step but we'll talk about that soon," he said.

The attack, in Khan Sheikhoun in Idlib province, is believed to have killed dozens of people, activists on the ground describing the attack as among the worst in the country's six-year civil war.

"These heinous actions by the Bashar Assad regime are a consequence of the past administration's weakness and irresolution," Spicer said. "President Obama said in 2012 that he would establish a 'red line' against the use of chemical weapons and then did nothing."