Russia-US tensions: Cabinet gives May the go-ahead for Syria strike 'to deter further use of chemical weapons by the Assad regime'

Emmanuel Macron has said France has proof the Syrian government used poison gas. 

Speaking on TF1 television, Mr Macron said "we have proof that chemical weapons were used, at least chlorine" in recent days by Syrian President Bashar Assad's government.

He did not say whether France is planning military action against Assad's government.

Mr Macron said he has been talking regularly this week with US President Donald Trump about the most effective response.

With increasing concerns about a US-Russia proxy war in Syria, Mr Macron insisted that "France will not allow an escalation or something that could damage the stability" of the region.

On Tuesday, Mr Macron said any French action would target Syria's chemical weapons abilities.

The Syrian government has denied the allegations.

Alexander Yakovenko, Russian ambassador to the UK, has tweeted an update about the number of evacuations that have taken place since the Syrian government took charge of the town of Douma. 

An aide to Iran's supreme leader says he hopes Syrian forces will "expel the American occupiers" in the country's northeast after they retake other areas of the country from insurgents. 

Ali Akbar Velayati, speaking in the Syrian capital on Thursday, said he visited eastern Ghouta a day earlier, calling the capture of the Damascus suburbs one of the most important victories of the seven-year civil war. 

Iran is a key ally of Syrian president Bashar al-Assad and has sent thousands of troops and allied militiamen to support his forces. 

Mr Velayati said he hoped the northern Idlib province, which is dominated by al-Qaida militants would be the next to fall to government forces.

He said Mr Assad's forces should then push east of the Euphrates River, where US troops are embedded with Kurdish forces. 

He said: "We are hopeful that major and extensive steps are taken later to liberate this area and expel the American occupiers." 

Jens Stoltenberg, Nato secretary general, has said those responsible for a poison gas attack in Syria must be held accountable and urged Damascus to allow access to the site.

"We condemn in the strongest terms the use of chemical weapons," Stoltenberg said. "We call on the Syrian regime and its backers to allow full and unimpeded access to international medical assistance and international monitoring."

"Those responsible must be held accountable," he said.

A Kremlin spokesperson has warned the US and its allies against any steps that could destabilise the situation in Syria. 

Asked about possible US strikes on Syria, Vladimir Putin's spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said "it's necessary to avoid any steps that may fuel tensions in Syria."

He added that it would have an "utterly destructive impact on the Syrian settlement." 

Mr Peskov wouldn't say if Moscow could use a Russia-US military hotline to avoid casualties in case of a US strike blow, saying only that "the hotline exists and has remained active".

Donald Trump warned Russia on Wednesday to "get ready" for a missile attack on its ally Syria. But he tweeted Thursday that it may come "very soon or not so soon at all!" 

The White Helmets volunteer civil defence service in Syria claims there are casualties following an "unknown explosion" in Azaz city in northern Aleppo.

Turkish president Tayyip Erdogan and Vladimir Putin discussed recent developments in Syria in an telephone call on Thursday, a Turkish presidential source has said, adding that the two leaders agreed to remain in close contact.

The call with Mr Putin came after Mr Erdogan earlier spoke to Donald Trump on the phone and also exchanged views on Syria.

The United Nations is hopeful of getting aid to at least 100,000 Syrians who are desperate for help after months of battle ended years of siege around the rebel-held enclave of eastern Ghouta, UN humanitarian adviser Jan Egeland said on Thursday.

"What I hope is that the battle for eastern Ghouta, very belatedly, now is over because there seems to be an agreement on Douma, the remaining rebel stronghold, that could lead to us getting access for the first time in a long time, to help the people inside Douma," Mr Egeland said.

The UN had long been prevented from sending aid, Mr Egeland said, adding that he hoped all those who wanted to leave would be evacuated and those who wanted to stay could remain.

Ken Clarke, the former chancellor, has joined MPs in calling for a parliamentary vote on any military action.

He told BBC Radio 4's World at One: "In a modern, parliamentary democracy, I think you have got to have parliamentary approval if you have a planned, policy decision to launch a military attack of any significant size.

"To say that Parliament is just sidelined before you take such a serious decision is a very retrograde step. It makes parliamentary accountability fairly pathetic."

Russia's foreign ministry said the world should think seriously about the possible consequences of threats.

Maria Zakharova, a spokeswoman, said Russia does not want an escalation of the situation in Syria, but said it could not support "dishonest accusations."

She said the Kremlin found no evidence of a chemical weapons attack in Douma.

Ms Zakharova said threats by the US and France were a violation of the UN charter, and blamed an Israeli air strike on Saturday for worsening stability in Syria.