UN exposé of gas attacks in Syria

ASSAD’S REGIME IS LIKELY CULPRIT

Ayear-long investigation to determine who is behind deadly chemical attacks in Syria takes centre stage at the United Nations (UN) this week when the panel presents its much-awaited findings.

The Joint Investigative Mechanism (JIM) set up by the UN Security Council has been collecting evidence in nine cases of alleged noxious gas attacks on Syrian villages in 2014 and 2015. Diplomats are hoping that the 24-member panel will finally point the finger at President Bashar al-Assad’s forces.

British ambassador Matthew Rycroft said: “We are very keen indeed to ensure full accountability. Whoever uses chemical weapons in Syria needs to be held accountable.”

French deputy ambassador Alexis Lamek said “this is a very important report” and stressed the council will have to follow up on “whatever its findings will be”.

The panel is looking into nine attacks on seven villages in the Hama, Idlib and Aleppo provinces. The probe dates back to the April 2014 attack on the rebel-held village of Kafr Zita, followed by a string of alleged use of noxious gas in Idlib province on the towns of Talmenes, Al-Tamana, Qmenas, Binnish and Sarmin.

Several people including children died in the attacks and dozens were hospitalised suffering from vomiting and shortness of breath, according to rights groups.

Blame could also be assigned to Islamic State militants suspected of using mustard gas on the town of Marea in Aleppo province on August 21 last year.

Most of the cases point to the alleged use of chlorine gas in barrel bombs dropped from helicopters.

The US, Britain and France maintain that only the regime has helicopters, but Russia, Damascus’s ally, insists there is no concrete proof Assad’s forces carried out the attacks.

To build its case, the JIM has had full access to evidence gathered by the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons which has sent fact-finding missions to Syria.

If the panel concludes the Assad regime was responsible for some of the chemical attacks, the Security Council would then decide whether to impose sanctions or possibly ask the International Criminal Court to take up the matter as a war crime. – AFP