58+ PEOPLE DIED OF CHEMICAL ATTACK IN SYRIA
Recently, at least 58 people have been killed and dozens wounded in a suspected chemical attack on a rebel-held town in north-western Syria, a monitoring group says. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that there was chemical strike on Khan Sheikhoun by Syrian government or Russian jets which had caused many people to choke and die.
Similarly, the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitoring group said there were 11 children among the dead. The Syrian Medical Relief Group reported that the overall death toll had increased to 100, according to Reuters.
However, a Syrian military source denied the government had used any such weapons. Russia’s defence ministry meanwhile insisted it had not carried out any air strikes in the vicinity. A hospital in Syria’s northern Idlib province was hit soon after the area was bombarded with a suspected chemical agent.
Such attack occurred previously when Russia and China in February vetoed a Security Council resolution that would have imposed sanctions on Syrians accused of being behind chlorine gas attacks on villages in 2014 and 2015. A UN-led investigation concluded in October that the Syrian air force had dropped chlorine barrel-bombs from helicopters on three opposition-held villages in 2014 and 2015.
In order to curb the situation, the UN Security Council will hold an emergency meeting on Wednesday to discuss the suspected chemical attack that has left dozens dead and fanned global outrage over the six-year war. Britain and France called for the urgent meeting due to the attack that happened early on Tuesday and they blamed President Bashar al-Assad’s forces.
US Ambassador Nikki Haley, who holds the council presidency this month, announced the meeting would be held to discuss the “terrible chemical weapons attack in Syria”.
The council will hear a briefing and “we are hoping to get as much information on the Syrian attack as we can”, Haley said.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is “deeply disturbed” by the attack, his spokesperson said, adding that the United Nations was “currently not in a position to independently verify these reports.”
Britain and France said they hoped to press demands at the Security Council for those behind the use of toxic gas in the six-year war to be held accountable.
“This is clearly a war crime,” British Ambassador Matthew Rycroft said.
“I call on the Security Council members who have previously used their vetoes to defend the indefensible to change their course.” He added.
The council on Wednesday will hear from Virginia Gamba, the head of the investigative panel, and top UN disarmament official Kim Won-soo, on details of the attack including whether deadly sarin gas was used.
“The perpetrators must be held accountable. We need to address this issue at the Security Council, as soon as possible,” said French Deputy Ambassador Alexis Lamek.
UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said the reports were “extremely alarming and disturbing” and noted that a team from the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) was gathering information to determine whether chemical weapons were in fact used.
“Any use of chemical weapons anywhere constitutes a threat to international peace and security and is a serious violation of international law,” he said.
The Syrian army denied any involvement, while the army command blamed rebels. The government is investigating on the issue and hopes to arrive at a solution soon.