Federal Foreign Office on report on the use of chemical weapons in Syria

The report, which was submitted to the United Nations Security Council yesterday, confirms that the inhumane use of sarin in Khan Shaykhun on 4 April 2017 was the work of the Assad regime. Of this there can be no serious doubt. The report also reveals that IS was responsible for the use of mustard gas in Um‑Housh on 15 and 16 September 2016.

The Security Council now has to agree on an appropriately clear response. We appeal to all its members to embrace their responsibility and reconsider extending the JIM in order also to identify those behind other incidents involving the use of chemical weapons. The latest report shows how important this work is. The OPCW Executive Council needs to hold a special session to discuss the report. Here, too, we are working to bring this about.

Through this clearly proven use of a chemical weapon, the Syrian regime has once again inflicted extreme suffering and committed another violation of both the Chemical Weapons Convention and international humanitarian law. This must have consequences; such monstrous crimes cannot be allowed to go unpunished. This must be clear to all members of the international community. Even the regime’s supporters cannot turn a blind eye to these acts.