A slipper hangs on a vandalised poster of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad lying in a trash container in Aleppo, Syria. Photograph by KnafehAnd3ajeen
Syria has reportedly given Russia “material evidence” that opposition fighters have used chemical weapons during the ongoing civil war.
The information comes after a UN report established that sarin gas was the chemical agent used in the attack on the Ghouta suburb of Damascus on 21st August which left 1,400 dead. The report did not apportion blame for the attack, but the US, UK, and France believe that Assad’s forces were behind the attack on the rebel held area.
Russia has called the UN report “politicised, biased and one-sided”, claiming that the scientists had only inspected the site of the Ghouta attack and not other sites where Syria alleges that the rebels used chemical weapons.
Sarin gas can only be measured for a short period after an attack, with its use untraceable in samples after only a few days.
As politicians argue over who is to blame for the chemical attacks, work is being done to bring Syria’s chemical weapons arsenal under international control for disarmament after US-Russia brokered plan. The project has some major hurdles to overcome before those chemical weapons can be safely removed form the conflict, with both the Assad regime and the rebels willing to negotiate to provide access to the stockpiles and safe routes out of the country.
Diplomatic work continues on discussing a UN resolution to implement the US-Russia plan, but major disagreements continue over the wording, with the US, UK, and France proposing an underlying threat of military action for non-compliance, whilst Russia opposes the use of such threatening language towards its ally.
