Hollande urges international response to Syria 'war crime'

French President Francois Hollande today called for an international response to the suspected chemical attack that killed scores of civilians in Syria, calling it a "war crime".

Hollande "reiterated his indignation over the use of chemical weapons in Syria and called for a reaction by the international community commensurate with this war crime," the president's office said in a statement.

The UN Security Council was to hold an emergency meeting later today on the attack, with Britain, France and the United States pushing a resolution demanding a swift investigation.

London, Paris and Washington have pointed the finger at President Bashar al-Assad's government for the attack, though the regime has denied using chemical weapons.
 

Russia, a key ally of the Assad regime, defended Syria over the attack, saying a Syrian air strike hit a "terrorist warehouse".