EDITOR'S PLEASE NOTE: THIS EDIT CONTAINS GRAPHIC IMAGES

Answering international calls for action, United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon says the fact finding mission into whether the Syrian government used chemical weapons on it's civilians will start immediately.

(SOUNDBITE) (English) UN SECRETARY-GENERAL BAN KI-MOON SAYING:

"The mission is expected to begin conducting on-site fact finding activities today, 26th of August, in just matter of hours. (cut away) We have all seen the horrifying images on our television screens and through social media. Clearly this was a major and terrible incident. (cut away) The whole world should be concerned about any threat or use of chemical weapons. And that is why the world is watching Syria."

Deeply distrubing images surfaced last week of scores of civilians killed near Damascus in what appeared to be a chemical weapons attack.

Although the Syrian government has denied responsibility for the deaths, the video p