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pampango

(24,692 posts)
Wed Aug 24, 2016, 08:19 PM Aug 2016

Syrian government and ISIS engaged in toxic gas attacks, UN investigation finds

Syrian government troops were responsible for two toxic gas attacks and Islamic State militants used sulfur mustard gas, a joint investigation by the United Nations and the global chemical weapons watchdog found on Wednesday, according to a confidential report seen by Reuters.

The inquiry found there was sufficient information to conclude that Syrian Arab Air Force helicopters dropped devices that then released toxic substances in Talmenes on April 21, 2014 and Sarmin on March 16, 2015, both in Idlib governorate. Both cases involved the use of chlorine.

It also determined there was sufficient information to conclude that Islamic State militants were the "only entity with the ability, capability, motive and the means to use sulfur mustard gas in Marea on 21 August, 2015."

Chlorine's use as a weapon is prohibited under the 1997 Chemical Weapons Convention, which Syria joined in 2013. If inhaled, chlorine gas turns to hydrochloric acid in the lungs and can kill by burning lungs and drowning victims in the resulting body fluids.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/world/syria-isis-gas-attacks-un-1.3734582

This finding now goes to the Security Council which will probably do nothing except perhaps against ISIS.

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Syrian government and ISIS engaged in toxic gas attacks, UN investigation finds (Original Post) pampango Aug 2016 OP
Surprising how a topic that was once top of the news for months muriel_volestrangler Aug 2016 #1

muriel_volestrangler

(101,158 posts)
1. Surprising how a topic that was once top of the news for months
Thu Aug 25, 2016, 05:45 AM
Aug 2016

amid endless discussions of red lines and votes about bombing, now just slips is as a minor news item that gets no comment at all.

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