*SYRIA USING CHEMICAL WEAPONS?*

Douma, in Eastern Ghouta, has been the target of a fierce government offensive

President Trump accuses Syria of using chemical arms : At least 40 killed on attack on rebel-held  Douma.

BEIRUT : an alleged chemical attack that left dozens dead in Syria's rebel-held town of Douma sparked international outrage on Sunday, with-

US President Donald Trump warning there would a ''Big price to pay''.

As condemnation poured in, there were reports that just hours after the alleged attack rebel forces had agreed to evacuate Douma, their last holdout in the onetime opposition stronghold of Eastern Ghouta.

Trump's threat came exactly a year and a day after the US fired cruise missiles at a Syrian airbase in retaliation for a deadly sarin gas attack in 2017.

''Many dead, including women and children, in mindless CHEMICAL attack in Syria,'' Trump wrote on Twitter on Sunday, lashing out at Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and Russia's Vladimir Putin, a key ally of the regime.

''President Putin, Russia and Iran are responsible for backing Animal Assad. Big price to pay,'' he said.

Asked whether the US could again respond with a missile strike, White House homeland security adviser Tom Bossert told ABC television:

''I wouldn't take anything off the table.''

FRANCE has repeatedly said that evidence of chemical weapons use in Syria could prompt military action and said on Sunday it would ''do its duty'' following the latest allegations. [AFP]