More victims of Assad chemical attack die in Turkey

The death toll has risen to six out of dozens of victims rushed to Turkish hospitals after a chemical weapons attack in Syria that killed scores earlier this month, Health Minister Recep Akdağ said Friday.

Speaking to Anadolu Agency's Editors' Desk in Ankara, Akdağ said a total of 34 people were hospitalized in Turkey after the Assad regime attack in Idlib, Syria. "Twenty-five of 34 victims were discharged from the hospital. The treatment of three continues in Hatay State Hospital. Unfortunately, six people lost their lives. Initially, there were three but as of today a total of six people have died [from the attack]," Akdağ said. He gave no details of the times of death.

Akdağ pointed to concrete evidence of the use of sarin gas in the attack found in the victims' blood and urine samples. "The clinical situations of the cases were already pointing to the use of a chemical weapon. We have confirmed this with laboratory and autopsy results," he said.

Assad's chemical attack in Khan Shaykhun, Idlib on April 4 killed around 80 civilians, most of whom were women and children.