Why Russia and Iran should ditch Bashar al-Assad

THE horror in Syria is never-ending. Its civil war, now entering a seventh year, has claimed about half a million lives, pushed 5m refugees out of the country and displaced millions more within it. Yet the chemical attack that killed at least 85 people in the rebel-held town of Khan Sheikhoun (see ) stands out as an act of infamy. In a murky conflict with few angels, it casts the spotlight on the worst perpetrator: the regime of Bashar al-Assad, backed by Russia and Iran.The footage of choking children suggests the use of a nerve agent, probably sarin. Its manufacture, storage and use as a weapon usually requires the wherewithal of a state. No militia in Syria—not even the jihadists of Islamic State (IS), who have used chlorine and mustard gas—is credibly reported to have used nerve agents on the battlefield. Israeli newspapers cite intelligence that the chemical air strike was ordered by the “highest levels” in Syria. Russia’s claim that the gas was released when a rebel arms dump was bombed is almost certainly a lie. As Mr Assad’s protector-in-chief, Russia’s president, Vladimir Putin, deserves to be singled out for opprobrium.