The United Nations has confirmed that it collected evidence of at least one large scale chemical weapons attack in its latest report on Syria, indicating that a further four more attacks it investigated were likely due to chemical weapons.
The report, compiled by UN inspectors in Syria, confirmed that, regarding an alleged attack in Ghouta on the 21st of August of this year,
“The United Nations Mission collected clear and convincing evidence that chemical weapons were used also against civilians, including children, on a relatively large scale”.
See the full report here.
The final report, which was delivered to UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon on Thursday, also confirmed the use of the nerve agent sarin in four of the incidents it investigated. However, the investigators were hampered by poor security conditions, in collecting full evidence of the alleged attacks. The mandate of the UN team also meant that they would not apportion blame, but only confirm that the attacks took place.
Speaking on receiving the report, Ban Ki-Moon stated,
“The use of chemical weapons is a grave violation of international law and an affront to our shared humanity”.
“We need to remain vigilant to ensure that these awful weapons are eliminated, not only in Syria, but everywhere.”