3rd Anniversary of the Ghouta Massacre

Press Release

Syrian Coalition

August 22, 2016

As the Syrian people commemorate the third anniversary of the Ghouta massacre, when the Assad regime used chemical weapons against the people of eastern Ghouta on August 21, 2013, war crimes, as heinous as the August 21st chemical attack, are still being carried out by the regime across Syria. The international community, however, has so far failed to assume its responsibilities towards preventing such war crimes.

Failure to hold perpetrators of the Ghouta massacre to account and allowing them to continue to kill more Syrians with all types of weapons will remain a dark stain on the conscience of the international community. Moreover, failure to do justice to the victims represents an abandonment of human values as war crimes and genocide are committed with the use of banned weapons without the perpetrators worrying about the consequences of their actions. This failure represents an unprecedented threat to international peace and security.

In this context, it is vital to remember that all UN Security Council resolutions have been so far ignored by the Assad regime including resolutions on the use of chemical weapons, including sarin and the poisonous chlorine gas; the establishment of a joint mechanism to identify those responsible for the use of these weapons; the targeting of civilians; lifting the sieges, and the introduction of humanitarian aid.

The Ghouta massacre, along with other horrifying massacres by the Assad regime, is a constant reminder of the need to close ranks; adhere to the principles of the revolution; and to rely solely on the resolve of the rebel and FSA fighters to achieve victory. All attempts to circumvent the will of the Syrian people are doomed to fail as the fate of Syrians will not be determined by Russia or Iran, but by the Syrian people in Syria.

May our wounded recover, our detainees be free, and our fallen heroes rest in peace.

Long live Syria and its people, free and with honor.