Syria Direct: News Update 8-22-2013

*FSA representative Luai Moqdad resigns SNC membership in protest against opposition’s powerlessness in wake of Wednesday’s chemical attacks on Damascus suburbs.

*Statement from the General Command of the Army and Armed Forces: “We emphasize our complete commitment to taking whatever counter-terrorism measures necessary to protect the homeland and the citizens of the Syrian Arab Republic.”

*Syrian Army Facebook page posts: “Some terrorists’ nests were targeted with heavy weapons and by careful use of chemical weapons to insure civilians’ safety and to hit mercenaries who were hiding in hard-to-reach places.”

*”I feel extremely disturbed about the reports about killing hundreds of people, including children, in attacks by chemical weapons on opposition controlled area near Damascus,” says UK Foreign Minister, William Hague.

*Israeli Defense minister asserts Syrian President Bashar Assad has used chemical weapons on at least three occasions. French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius says it would be “an unprecedented cruel performance” if chemicals were deployed against civilians. Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman “assures Syrian people will win this war against terrorism and takfiris.”