DAMASCUS, Aug 21: Syria`s opposition accused government forces of gassing hundreds of people on Wednesday by firing rockets that released deadly fumes over Damascus suburbs, allegedly killing men, women and children as they slept.

With the death toll reported to be between 500 and 1,300, the chemical weapons attack prompted an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council in New York.

While UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon expressed shock, immediate international action is likely to be limited, with divisions among major powers crippling efforts to quell the conflict.

Russia hastened to back up denials from the administration of President Bashar alAssad by saying it looked like an opposition `provocation` to discredit him.

Britain voiced the opposite view: `I hope this will wake up some who have supported the Assad regime to realise its murderous and barbaric nature,` Foreign Secretary William Hague remarked on a visit to Paris, London`s ally against President Assad.

France, Britain, the United States and others called for an immediate on-site investigation by UN chemical weapons inspectors who arrived in the Syrian capital only this week.

Moscow, urging an `objective` inquiry, said the very presence of that team suggested government forces were not to blame.

US President Barack Obama has made the use of chemical weapons by Mr Assad`s forces a `red line` that already in June triggered more US aid to the opposition. But previous, smaller and disputed cases of their deployment have not brought the all-out military intervention that opposition leaders have sought in order to break a stalemate.

If confirmed, a major gas attack could increase pressure on Mr Obama to do more to support the opposition.

The Security Council, where Russia has vetoed previous western efforts to impose UN penalties on President Assad, began a closed-door meeting but is not expected to take decisive action.-Reuters