US has imposed sweeping sanctions on officials in a Syrian government agency in response to a suspected chemical attack earlier this month. <br/><br/>The treasury department yesterday ordered a freeze on all assets in the US of 271 employees of the Syrian Scientific Studies and Research Centre (SSRC). <br/><br/>The US believes it made the nerve agent that killed more than 80 people in the rebel-held town of Khan Sheikhoun. Syria says the incident was a fabrication.<br/><br/>President Bashar al-Assad has accused the West of making up events in Khan Sheikhoun on April 4th so the US had an excuse to carry out missile strikes on the government's Shayrat airbase, which took place a few days after the alleged attack.