The UN says a toxic "substance" deployed last week during an assault in Syria killed hundreds and "maybe more than 1,000 people," supporting growing international claims that chemicals were used in an attack near Damascus.

UN special envoy to Syria Lakhdar Brahimi made the comment Wednesday. However, the source of the attack has not been confirmed, as the UN inspectors' role in collecting evidence of chemical use doesn't include determining who is behind it.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/world/story/2013/08/28/syria-al-qaeda-threatens-volcano.html