An international inquiry has found Syrian government forces responsible for a third toxic gas attack, according to a confidential report submitted to the UN Security Council on Friday, setting the stage for a showdown between Russia and western council members over how to respond.
The fourth report from the 13-month inquiry by the UN and the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), the global chemical weapons watchdog, blamed Syrian government forces for a toxic gas attack in Qmenas in Idlib governorate on March 16th, 2015.
The third report by the inquiry in August blamed the Syrian government for two chlorine attacks - in Talmenes on April 21st, 2014, and Sarmin on March 16th, 2015 - and said Islamic State militants had used sulfur mustard gas.
The results set the stage for a Security Council showdown between the five veto-wielding powers, and will likely pit Russia and China against the US, the UK and France over how those responsible should be held accountable.
Following the submission of the third report, Russia said the conclusions could not be used to impose UN sanctions.
The report submitted on Friday said that Syrian government forces had used helicopters to drop barrel bombs, which then released chlorine gas.
It found that those helicopter flights originated from two bases where Syria’s 253 and 255 squadrons, belonging to the 63rd helicopter brigade, were based.
It added that the 618 squadron, with navy helicopters, was also located at one of the bases.
However, the inquiry said that it “could not confirm the names of the individuals who had command and control of the helicopter squadrons at the time.”
It added that those “with effective control in the military units . . . must be held accountable”.
The inquiry focused on nine attacks in seven areas of Syria, where a separate OPCW fact-finding investigation had already determined that chemical weapons had likely been used.
Chlorine
Eight of the attacks investigated involved the use of chlorine. The inquiry was unable to reach a conclusion in five cases.
The use of chlorine 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.
Syria agreed to destroy its chemical weapons in 2013 under a deal brokered by Moscow and Washington.
The Security Council backed that deal with a resolution that said that in the event of non-compliance, “including unauthorised transfer of chemical weapons, or any use of chemical weapons by anyone” in Syria, it would impose measures under Chapter 7 of the UN Charter.
Chapter 7 deals with sanctions and authorisation of military force by the Security Council.
The body would need to adopt another resolution to impose targeted sanctions - a travel ban and asset freeze - on people or entities linked to the attacks.
Reuters