Syria Slams Chemical Watchdog Report on 2018 Attack

02/02/2023

Syria on Thursday dismissed the global chemical weapons watchdog’s statement, which said that investigators had found “reasonable grounds to believe” the Syrian air force dropped two cylinders of chlorine gas in 2018 on then-rebel-held town of Douma.

The Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) produced a detailed report following a fact-finding mission that investigated the April 7, 2018 attack. Medical workers and activists said at the time more than 40 people were killed in the attack.

In an attempt to ensure accountability for crimes in Syria, the United Nations has established a commission entitled “International, Impartial and Independent Mechanism.” It is mandated to preserve and analyze evidence of crimes and prepare files for trials in “national, regional or international courts or tribunals that have or may in the future have jurisdiction over these crimes, in accordance with international law.” However, Syria’s permanent representative to OPCW, Ambassador Milad Atieh, accused the United States and Western countries of political interference with the UN commission.

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