At least 106 chemical attacks in Syria since 2013, says BBC probe

NEWDELHI: There were at least 106 chemical attacks in Syria since September 2013 that coincided with offensives by the government of President Bashar al-Assad against rebel forces, a BBC investigation has determined.

Assad has continued to deny his forces have ever used chemical weapons but BBC examined 164 reports of alleged chemical attacks since Syria signed up to the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) a little more than five years ago and concluded there was credible evidence that a chemical weapon was used in 106 incidents.

After seven years of civil war that have left more than 350,000 people dead, Assad appears close to victory against rebel forces.

Syria ratified the CWC a month after a chemical weapons attack on several suburbs of the capital Damascus, which involved the nerve agent Sarin and left hundreds of people dead.

Western powers said the attack could only have been carried out by the government but Assad blamed the opposition.

Only a few of the attacks have made headlines though the data suggests a pattern of repeated

ASSAD HAS CONTINUED TO DENY HIS FORCES HAVE EVER USED CHEMICAL WEAPONS

and sustained use of chemical weapons.

“The use of chemical weapons has delivered some outcomes for (government forces) that they believe are worth the risk, and (chemical weapons) have subsequently been shown to be worth the risk because they keep using them, repeatedly,” said Julian Tangaere, former head of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) mission to Syria.

The US relented on threats of military action when Assad’s key ally, Russia, persuaded him to agree to the elimination of the chemical arsenal.

Despite the OPCW and the UN destroying all 1,300 tonnes of chemicals the Syrian government declared, chemical weapons have continued.

According to reports, the deadliest single incident occurred in Khan Sheikhoun town in Idlib province on April 4, 2017.

Opposition health authorities said more than 80 people died in that attack.