On Assad Regime’s Chlorine Gas Attack on Civilians in Eastern Ghouta

Press release

Syrian Coalition

Media Department

January22, 2018

The Assad regime targeted populated areas in the Damascus suburb of eastern Ghouta with rockets loaded with poison chlorine gas on Monday, January 22. Credible reports indicated that the attack caused dozens of asphyxiation cases among civilians in the district of Douma and that most of the injured were women and children.

The Syrian Coalition condemns the repeated, systematic, deliberate use of chlorine gas by regime forces as it warns of the consequences of remaining silent about these attacks. Remaining silent risks encourage the Assad regime to escalate these attacks.

The Assad regime and its supporters will not change their criminal behavior, nor will they stop violating international resolutions through the use of chemical weapons and the commission of war crimes and crimes against humanity unless they pay heavily for their actions.

Such violations are no longer only a challenge to the international community and Security Council resolutions, but they have become more like an insult to those parties which are unable to carry out their duties or shoulder their responsibilities.

Repeated failures over the past years, coupled with the negative role of most parties, are to blame for the current situation on the ground in Syria. It is imperative that the United Nations and active players exert real pressure corresponding with the situation on the ground to prevent further bloody escalation.