The Organization for the Prevention of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) said it would need a referral from a state signatory to a treaty banning the use of such weapons before looking at the new allegations, which come amid a protracted withdrawal of Syria's 1,200 tons of sarin, mustard gas and the precursors used to make them.

A senior Israeli defense official claimed earlier this week that new chemical attacks had taken place in the Damascus countryside by the Syrian army.

No evidence has been found supporting the claim.

The Syria’s Western-backed opposition leadership on Friday repeated a demand that the claims be examined, but as a non-state actor has no sway over the OPCW, which has so far supervised the surrender of 53% of Syria's arsenal.

The use of chemical weapons has been one of the most contentious aspects of the Syrian war.

A devastating attack in the Damascus countryside last August left up to 1,300 people dead and pushed the US close a military strike against the Syrian government which has been already fighting hundreds of militant groups, supported by US and its regional and Western allies for more than three years.

The Syrian government provided UN with several reports and evidence showing rebel forces launched the attack as a false-flag operation to involve US directly into the war.

The strike was averted after Russia brokered a deal, welcomed by Syria, to destroy country’s chemical weapons stockpile.

The OPCW was then tasked with handling the transfer of the chemicals to ships now moored in the port of Latakia in Syria's northwest. The chemicals will be transferred to ships with specialized facilities that will render them safe for disposal.

SHI/SHI