Regime’s Use of Toxic Chlorine against Civilians Requires International Response

Press Release Original in arabic

Syrian Coalition

August 2, 2016

The Assad regime has committed all types of war crimes against Syrian civilians including by bombardment and besiegement of liberated areas over the past five years.

The regime has once again used the toxic gases in blatant violation of UN Security Council resolutions 2118 and 2235. Helicopters of the Assad regime on Monday dropped barrel bombs containing poisonous chlorine gas on residential areas in the town of Saraqib in rural Idlib.

This latest chemical attack makes it imperative that the UN Security Council shoulder its responsibilities towards stopping such attacks. Urgent measures must be taken under Chapter VII of the Charter of the United Nations to protect the Syrian people.

Developments on the ground show how the Assad regime continues to blatantly ignore International Law and UN Security Council resolutions, especially those related to the use of chemical weapons. Any further delay in taking firm stance towards such attacks will open the door to more crimes and violations by the Assad regime.

The international community should assume its responsibilities regarding the protection of civilians in accordance with International Law (IL) and International Humanitarian Law (IHL) to stop war crimes and eliminate the constant threat of the use of chemical weapons by the Assad regime.

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.