Sarin used in ‘war crime’, says UN chemical weapons report
A UN inspectors’ report into the Damascus chemical weapons attack in August says there is “clear and convincing evidence” that sarin was used.
The report says that the evidence shows sarin was used in the Ein Tarma, al-Moadamyeh and Zamalka areas of Ghouta – the rebel-occupied area of eastern Damascus.
The report says that surface-to-surface missiles were used to drop sarin on the Ghouta region of the city, and that the attack was of a “relatively large scale”.
UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon addressed the security council on Monday, as he released the report, which was compiled with evidence collected by UN inspectors in Damascus.
The United Nations mission has now confirmed, unequivocally and objectively, that chemical weapons have been used in Syria. Ban Ki-moon
“The results are overwhelming and indisputable,” he said. “The facts speak for themselves.”
Mr Ban said that 85 per cent of blood samples collected at the site from 34 victims of the attack had tested positive for sarin. The majority of “environmental samples” taken from the area also tested positive for sarin.
‘Grave violation’
The UN team also examined exploded surface-to-surface missiles found in the area. The majority of the rockets or fragments of rockets also tested positive for the nerve agent.
“The United Nations mission has now confirmed, unequivocally and objectively, that chemical weapons have been used in Syria,” he said.
“This is a war crime and a grave violation of the 1925 protocol and other rules of customary international law.
“I trust all can join me in condemning this despicable crime. The international community has a responsibility to hold the perpetrators accountable and to ensure that chemical weapons never re-emerge as an instrument of warfare.”
The report
The UN investigative team, led by Dr Ake Sellstrom, visited three areas in Ghouta, Al-Moademyah, Ein Tarm and Zamalka, on 26, 28 and 29 August.
Medical experts from the UN mission examined 36 victims who showed symptoms such as a loss of consciousness, blurred vision and “excessive salivation”.
Of these 36, blood, hair and urine samples were taken from 34 – with 85 per cent of these samples testing positive for sarin.
Chemical weapons use in such metereological conditions maximises their their potential impact. UN report
The team also interviewed 50 survivors, health workers and first responders. Survivors reported an attack with shelling, followed by the onset of a range of symptoms including shortness of breath, disorientation, blurred vision, nausea, vomiting, general weakness and ultimately the loss of consciousness.
People who arrived at the scene told the investigators that they found large numbers of people lying on the ground, either dead or unconscious. Shortly after arriving the responders also became ill.
The mission also took 30 “environmental samples” from impact sites, and said the majority of these tested positive for sarin. Rockets and rocket fragments were also collected. The weapons were “surface to surface” missiles, and were found to contain sarin.
UN investigators also reported that the weather was particularly damaging for the use of chemical weapons. The weather on the morning of 21 August showed a falling temperature – something that means air is not moving from the ground upwards.
“Chemical weapons use in such metereological conditions maximises their their potential impact as the heavy gas can stay close to the ground and pentrate into lower levels of buildings and constructions where many people were seeking shelter,” the report said.
‘Consequences’
Though the report does not attribute blame, Mr Ban did address Syria’s accession to the Chemical Weapons Convention, something that he said he welcomed.
He quoted an agreement reached between Russia and the US at the weekend, in which they set out the terms for Syria to hand over its chemical weapons to international control.
The passage he quoted was: “The United States and the Russian Federation concur that this UN Security Council resolution should provide for review on a regular basis the implementation in Syria of the decision of the executive council of the OPCW, and in the event of non-compliance, including unauthorised transfer, or any use of chemical weapons by anyone in Syria, the UN Security Council should impose measures under chapter seven of the UN charter.”
Chapter seven of the UN charter allows for a number of measures to be taken against a country, including military force.
“I agree there should be consequences for non-compliance. Any use of chemical weapons by anyone, anywhere, is a crime,” Mr Ban said.
Geneva discussions
The report has been released as representatives of the world’s governments met in Geneva to discuss the Syrian crisis, and a resolution that would hand Bashar al-Assad’s chemical weapons over to international control.
The US, UK and France took a tough stance in a news conference on Monday morning, saying there will be “consequences” for the Assad regime if it does not fulfil its requirements under a UN Security Council resolution.
The western powers have laid the blame for the Damascus attack with President Assad. US Secretary of State John Kerry has said that more than 1,400 people were killed in the chemical weapons attack.