The Russian military said Friday it has evidence of the use of chemical weapons by militants in Syria’s eastern city of Aleppo.

“Experts from the Russian defense ministry have found unexploded artillery ammunition belonging to terrorists which contains toxic substances,” the military said in a statement.

“After rapid analysis in a mobile laboratory, we have determined that the toxic substances in the rebels’ ammunition are highly likely to be chlorine gas and white phosphorous.”

The ammunition was discovered in the 1070 district on the southwestern outskirts of Aleppo, the statement said.

The Russian news agency Interfax said this zone was recaptured from the militants by Syrian government troops a few days ago.

A more thorough analysis will be carried out by a Russian military laboratory accredited to the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPWC), the Russian defense ministry said.

Syrian state media late last month accused militant groups of having fired shells containing toxic gas into government-held parts of Aleppo, leaving dozens of people including civilians in need of treatment.

Source: AFP