Attack ‘a risk that Assad was willing to run’
Q How do we know sarin was used in the April 4 attack on Khan Sheikhoun? A Sarin causes convulsions, foaming of the mouth, shrinking of pupils and watery eyes, symptoms recorded by doctors at the scene. Samples of vapour from Khan Sheikhoun have been tested in Turkey and found to include sarin. Q Could a conventional warhead have hit a rebelheld chemical weapons silo, as Russia and Syria insist? A A huge amount of highly toxic vapour was released. That could only have been achieved by dropping sarin from an aircraft using warheads containing the chemical in its liquid form – which is vaporised on impact with the ground. Q Could warheads containing the deadly chemical have been dropped accidentally? A About 1,100lb of liquid sarin would be required to kill and injure so many. You’re looking at several warheads; it’s unlikely so many could have been mistakenly loaded on to aircraft. Q why would Assad risk this if he’s winning? A Before Thursday, he had got away with using chemical weapons without the West lifting a finger. President Trump cautioned against getting involved in Syria and, just days earlier, US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said Assad’s downfall was no longer a priority. And Assad wanted to target rebels before Syria has to attend the next round of
ceasefire negotiations. Q Didn’t Assad give up chemical weapons as part of a UN deal in 2013? A He did, but UN inspectors could only visit sites approved by Assad. Many experts reckoned that he failed to declare about 200 tons of already manufactured sarin. In fact, Assad didn’t declare any actual sarin, which was suspicious.