United Nations weapons inspectors shot by snipers in Syria

United Nations weapons inspectors were 'deliberately shot at multiple times' by snipers today as they visited the site on the outskirts of Damascus where hundreds of people died last week in a suspected chemical attack.

The U.S. and its allies say evidence of a chemical attack will have been destroyed by government shelling of the area over the last five days, and the Syrian offer to allow inspectors in came too late. A UN spokesman said: 'The first vehicle of the Chemical Weapons Investigation Team was deliberately shot at multiple times by unidentified snipers in the buffer zone area.' The spokesman added: 'It has to be stressed again that all sides need to extend their cooperation so that the team can safely carry out their important work.'

The car was no longer serviceable and a replacement is being located. An MP called for Parliament to be recalled tomorrow to debate Britain's response to the growing crisis.

Andrew Bridgen, who sent a letter signed by more than 80 of his Conservative  colleagues demanding a vote on any escalation of Britain's involvement earlier this year, said the recall should be announced today and either David Cameron or William Hague should make the case for action. He said: 'In my opinion we need an immediate recall of Parliament to debate any further involvement in this crisis. It's a complicated conflict with potentially worldwide ramifications.' The Labour opposition are also calling for MPs to be summoned back to pre-approve any military action involving UK personnel.

As a military strike moved closer, President Assad said in an interview with a Russian newspaper today that any intervention in his country was doomed to fail.