Assad regime blasted over chemical attacks in Syria

NeW york: UN Security Council members Britain, Estonia and Germany has denounced Syria for a lack of accountability after being accused of conducting chemical weapons attacks in 2017.

The accusations came in speeches delivered during a closed door Security Council video conference on Wednesday, and later made public despite confidentiality rules.

The Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons released a report on April 8 blaming the Syrian military under President Bashar al-Assad’s regime for chemical weapons attacks on the village of Lataminah in northern Syria in 2017.

The report was raised during the monthly meeting by Britain, Estonia and Germany who, unlike the other 12 council members, chose to make their speeches public.

“By using these terrible weapons and by failing to comply fully with the OPCW, Syria remains in breach of its obligations under the Chemical Weapons Convention and the Security Council decisions set out in Resolution 2118,” Britain’s charge d’affaires at the UN, Jonathan Allen, said.

Estonian Ambassador Sven Jurgenson said the use of chemical weapons “cannot be tolerated.”

German Deputy Ambassador Jurgen Schulz said, “Accountability is essential and impunity for these heinous crimes is not an option”.