(amnesty international)
Syrian government forces have dramatically escalated their use of chemical weapons attacks against civilians, according to a report released today by Human Rights Watch.
"The government's recent use of nerve agents is a deadly escalation – and part of a clear pattern," said Kenneth Roth, the executive director of the non-profit."
"In the last six months, the Syrian government has used war planes, helicopters, and ground forces to deliver chlorine and sarin gas in Damascus, Hama, Idlib and Aleppo; that is widespread and systematic use of chemical weapons," says Ole Solvang, Deputy Director, Emergencies, Human Rights Watch. That, Solvang says, could amount to crimes against humanity."
by Chemicals: The Syrian Government's Widespread and Systematic Use of Chemical Weapons," identifies three different systems being used to deliver chemical weapons:
- Government warplanes appear to have dropped bombs with nerve agents on at least four occasions since December 12;
- Government helicopter-dropped chlorine-filled munitions have become more systematic;
- Government or pro-government ground forces have started using improvised ground-launched munitions filled with chlorine.
It also says research shows that many of the attacks appear to be against civilians, and new evidence, according to the report, supports the conclusion that Syrian government forces have used nerve agents on at least four occasions in recent months: On April 4, 2017 in Khan Sheikhoun, and on three other occasions in December 2016 and March 2017, based on interviews with 60 people with first-hand knowledge of the attacks and their immediate aftermath, as well as dozens of photos and videos of impact sites and victims, although the non-profit was unable to conduct ground investigations of the attack sites itself.
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