Syria's government accused rebels of firing a chemical weapon on Tuesday for the first time in the 2-year-old civil war, calling it the "first act" of a newly announced opposition interim government.

Rebels quickly denied the report and accused regime forces of firing the chemical weapon. Neither of the accusations could immediately be verified.

Information Minister Omran al-Zoubi said 16 people were killed and 86 wounded in the missile attack on the village of Khan al-Assal near the city of Aleppo.

If confirmed, it would mark the first time such weapons have been used since the uprising against President Bashar Assad began in March 2011.

One of the international community's top concerns since fighting began is that Syria's vast arsenal of chemical weapons could be used by one side or the other or could fall into the hands of foreign jihadist fighters among the rebels or the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah, which is allied with the regime.

The minister al-Zoubi said the missile containing "poisonous gases" was fired from Nairab district in Aleppo into Khan al-Assal village.

The reported attack was in an area just east of the city of Aleppo that had seen fierce fighting for weeks before rebels took over a sprawling government complex there last month.

The facility included several military posts and a police academy that Assad's forces have turned into a military base that regularly fires shells at nearby villages.

In comments made to the pro-government Al-Ikhbariya TV station, the information minister held the international community responsible for arming the rebels and described it as a "dangerous escalation"...

Anti-regime activists denied the government allegations of using chemical weapons.

An activist in Khan al-Assal said rebels had recently seized much of the village including a facility that housed a military academy.

The Aleppo Media Center, affiliated with the rebels, said there were cases of "suffocation and poison" among civilians in Khan al-Assal after a surface-to-surface missile was fired at the area. It said in a statement the cases were "most likely" caused by regime forces' use of "poisonous gases."

An activist in Aleppo province who identified himself as Yassin Abu Raed, not his real name, confirmed the attack and said there were at least 40 cases of suffocation in the area and several deaths. But he said no details were available as casualties were being taken to a government-controlled area in Aleppo...

He said it did not make sense for the rebels to fire a chemical weapon at an area they had recently seized, and accused the government instead.

READ FULL SOURCE ARTICLE: 03/19/2013

Editor's Note: And let's all remember that Pres. Obama said the use of chemical weapons would be a game changer where US military participation is concerned...