chemical attacks – European Affairs Magazine

Assad denies use of chemical weapons

14 Aprile 2017 BreakingNews @en di

Syria’s president, Bashar-al Assad, has said that reports of a chemical weapons attack by his forces were “100% fabricated”. He told the AFP news agency that the Syrian government gave up its arsenal of chemical weapons in 2013, adding “even if we have them, we wouldn’t use them” and accused the West of making up events in Khan Sheikhoun so it had an excuse to carry out missile strikes on the government’s Shayrat airbase, which took place a few days after the alleged attack.

Saudi Cabinet condemned the use of chemical attack in Syria and expressed its support to the US military operation

12 Aprile 2017 BreakingNews @en di

Concerning the Kingdom’s long-term rejection of terrorism in all forms, the Saudi Cabinet on Monday condemned the use of chemical attack in Syria committed by the Syrian regime. The Cabinet also expressed all its support to the US military operation against selected targets in Syria. The Kingdom also lauded the Arab Coalition’s efforts to support the restoration in Yemen and to provide humanitarian aid through King Salman Center for Humanitarian and Relief Aids. Moreover the Cabinet appreciated King’s efforts to unify Arab and Muslim ranks in facing the difficult conditions of the Arab and Islamic countries. In fine the Cabinet approved a series of decisions.

Russia warns against blaming Damascus for suspected chemical attack

7 Aprile 2017 BreakingNews @en di

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Gennady Gatilov said that the idea of laying blame for the suspected chemical weapon attack in Syria’s Idlib province on Damascus did not receive wide support at the conference in Brussels. The idea of laying blame for the suspected chemical weapon attack in Syria’s Idlib province on Damascus did not receive wide support at the conference in Brussels, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Gennady Gatilov said, warning against the use of the incident to disrupt Syria peace talks. The UN Security Council (UNSC) is held an emergency meeting to discuss the suspected chemical attack in Syria’s province of Idlib. The United Kingdom, France and the United States introduced a draft resolution in the UNSC claiming that the alleged April 4 chemical attack in Idlib was carried out by the Syrian army. Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said that Moscow categorically rejected the draft resolution. The Syrian National Coalition of Revolutionary and Opposition Forces and some other sources reported on Tuesday that some 80 people were killed and 200 injured in a chemical weapon attack in Idlib, blaming the Syrian army for the incident. The Syrian Armed Forces rejected the allegations.

Declaration by the High Representative on behalf of the EU on the alleged chemical attack in Idlib, Syria

7 Aprile 2017 BreakingNews @en di

The EU condemns in the strongest terms the air strike that hit the town of Khan Sheikhoun in Idlib province on 4 April 2017, which has had horrific consequences, causing the deaths and injuries of scores of civilians including children and relief workers, with many victims displaying symptoms of gas poisoning. The EU urges the United Nations Security Council to come together, strongly condemn the attack on Khan Sheikhoun and ensure a swift, independent and impartial investigation of the attack. Those guilty of violations of international law and the use of chemical weapons have to be sanctioned accordingly. In March, the EU added 4 high-ranking Syrian military officials to the sanctions list for their role in the use of chemical weapons against the civilian population, in line with the EU’s policy to fight the proliferation and use of chemical weapons.

UN Security Council wants to investigate on the chemical attacks in Syria

19 Novembre 2016 BreakingNews @en/Middle East - Africa di

The UN Security Council on Thursday unanimously decided to extend for another year the mandate of a panel tasked with investigating chemical attacks in Syria and identifying those responsible. The terrorist organizations like Jabhat al-Nusra and other groups linked to it, which some countries label as “moderate opposition”, have repeatedly used chemical weapons against civilians in several areas of Syria, most recently in Aleppo, where those organizations targeted the residential neighborhoods with toxic gases including chlorine gas, causing many cases of asphyxiation. According to Russia Today website, Russia had said it wanted the inquiry to be broadened to look more at the “terrorist chemical threat” within the region, and the resolution to renew the mandate included language to reflect that request.