Once Again Syria’s Assad Kills Civilians Near Damascus with Chemical Weapons as Russia’s Putin Provides Air and Ground Support
Raqqah, Syria, April 8, 2018 — To say that the world is furious at the Syrian government and its allies is an understatement. A recent chemical weapon attack by Syrian jets and a barrel-bombing helicopter near Damascus has killed scores of civilians this weekend.
Eye witness accounts suggest that a Syrian government helicopter dropped a barrel bomb into the rear area of the fighting where civilians were hiding in basement shelters.
In the Syrian Civil War since 2011, 161 documented chemical attacks plus some 130 unverified attacks have led to at least 1,490 deaths and 14,580 injuries from chemical exposure according to the Syrian American Medical Society.
The European Union has just issued a statement in which it says that reports from Douma, under the siege and bombardment by regime forces and its allies, indicate that a high number of civilians were killed Saturday evening, including families who perished in the shelters they were hiding in. The evidence points towards yet another chemical attack by the Syrian regime.
Additional reading on this topic.
- Assad Won Syria Civil War. Only Humanity is Needed. Not U.S. Bombs.
Published: Mon, 09 Apr 2018 22:27:14— by Melissa Hemingway (feminine-perspective.org staff writer) Military retaliation against Damascus only hurts more women & children. Making the institutions of peace and humanitarianism work is the only way ahead. Syria’s despicable dictator Bashar al-Assad, his brutal confreres, and Russia’s … Read- Douma Chem-Attack: UN Secretary General Issues Calm Statement
Published: Mon, 09 Apr 2018 20:32:17UN Secretary-General Voices Deep Concern over Renewed Violence in Douma, Syria, Stressing that Chemical Weapons Use, if Confirmed, Requires Investigation UN Secretary-General António Guterres says he is deeply concerned about renewed and intensive violence in Douma in eastern Ghouta over … Read
Almost a year to the day of the horrific attacks in Khan Sheikhoun, chemical weapons continue to be used on civilians.
The European Union condemns in the strongest terms the use of chemical weapons and calls for an immediate response by the international community.
In July 2017 and March 2018 the EU imposed additional restrictive measures on high level officials and scientists responsible for the development and the use of chemical weapons in Syria. It is highly regrettable that Russia vetoed the renewal of the mandate of the Joint Investigative Mechanism in November 2017 and the EU calls upon the UN Security Council to rapidly re-establish this mechanism to identify perpetrators of chemical attacks. Accountability is crucial.
We call on the supporters of the regime, Russia and Iran, to use their influence to prevent any further attack and ensure the cessation of hostilities and de-escalation of violence as per UNSC Resolution 2401. The protection of civilians must remain an absolute priority.
The European Union will remain mobilised to fight against the use of chemical weapons and to make sure that those responsible are held accountable. – Bruxelles, 08/04/2018 – 17:15, UNIQUE ID: 180408_2
Assad’s Latest Chemical Weapon Attack has Slaughtered Civilians
There is no doubt and no need for further discussion about if it happened or not–what matters is putting an end to the use of chemical weapons in Syria.
Volunteer medical worker administers Bronchial Dilation to toddler after flushing upper respiratory and face with water and saline. Over six dozen civilians killed. About three dozen children and adults injured by chemical attack and bombing on civilians by Syrian Air Force in the eastern suburbs of Damascus.
Medical workers in and around Douma report treating families for severe respiratory ailments consistent with their experience in treating chemical weapon survivors.
The Associated Press has reported that Turkey’s president condemned an attack on rebel-held Douma near the Syrian capital, where activists and rescue workers say the Syrian regime used a poison gas. Speaking Sunday, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said women and children were “martyred.” He lashed out against Syrian President Bashar Assad’s international allies as well as the “West,” asking: “When will you turn round and look at these children, these women who are being killed in eastern Ghouta?”
Erdogan’s top aide Ibrahim Kalin said Saturday’s “chemical attacks” claimed the lives of at least 70 civilians. He said such attacks violated international law and called on the international community, “particularly countries with leverage over the Syrian regime,” to act.
Associated Press Video Capture – April 7
Background: Assad is a Monster Backed by a Monster
Syrian violation of global chemical weapons restrictions are confirmed in numerous ways.
Repeatedly the Syrian Air Force has launched chemical weapon missiles at both combatants and civilians.
In 2015 the Islamic State was able to steal small amounts of Syrian chemical weapons when it controlled the Syrian city of Palmyra from May 2015 until March 2016 then later again in December 2016.
What was most important about these discoveries is that at the time, Syria had declared to the world that all such weapons had been destroyed.
In Mosul Iraq ISIS poisoned test subjects with hexamine and other chemicals used in warfare. These came from Assad’s stockpile and labs in Palmyra, a city which both ISIS and Syrian forces fought over ferociously with grave losses to both sides in two significant sieges, one in early May 2015 and another in December 2016. In the latter siege of Palmyra, Syria used nerve gas attacks against the Islamic State fighters.
In Palmyra, ISIS discovered mustard agent, chlorine, tabun, sarin and various VX-series CW-variants. Daesh was however ineffective in weaponizing a deliverable of the more advanced CW-WMD agents. The Daesh war minister at that time (Tarkhan Batirashvili known by his nom de guerre Abu Omar al-Shishani ) preferred the lowest technology warfare solutions and had ISIS loyalists arm jury-rigged (technicals) automotive armoured-contraptions with barrels of chlorine and made crude mortar and artillery shells of mustard agent.
CHART: Chemical Weapon Attacks During Syrian Civil War – Including Opposition/Syrian Forces and al-Quaeda
Date | Location | Governorate | Civilian Deaths |
|
---|---|---|---|---|
CW-Agent | ||||
17 October 2012 | Salqin |
Idlib |
||
23 December 2012 | Al-Bayadah |
Homs |
5 | Most likely Agent 15 |
13 March 2013 | Darayya |
Rif Dimashq |
||
14 March 2013 | Otaybah |
Rif Dimashq |
||
19 March 2013 | Khan al-Asal |
Aleppo |
19 | Sarin |
19 March 2013 | Otaybah |
Rif Dimashq |
||
24 March 2013 | Adra |
Rif Dimashq |
||
11 April 2013 | Jobar |
Damascus |
||
12 April 2013 | Jobar |
Damascus |
||
13 April 2013 | Sheikh Maqsood |
Aleppo |
3 | |
13 April 2013 | Jobar |
Damascus |
||
14 April 2013 | Jobar |
Damascus |
||
25 April 2013 | Darayya |
Rif Dimashq |
||
29 April 2013 | Saraqib |
Idlib |
1 | Sarin/Tear gas |
14 May 2013 | Qasr Abu Samrah |
Hama |
||
23 May 2013 | Adra |
Rif Dimashq |
||
5 August 2013 | Adra |
Rif Dimashq |
||
21 August 2013 | Zamalka/Ein Tarma |
Rif Dimashq |
734 | Sarin |
21 August 2013 | Muadamiyat al-Sham |
Rif Dimashq |
103 | Sarin |
22 August 2013 | Al-Bahariyah |
Rif Dimashq |
||
24 August 2013 | Jobar |
Damascus |
Sarin |
|
25 August 2013 | Ashrafiyat Sahnaya |
Rif Dimashq |
Sarin |
|
10 April 2014 | Kafr Zita |
Hama |
Chlorine |
|
11 April 2014 | Kafr Zita |
Hama |
2 | Chlorine |
11 April 2014 | Harasta |
Rif Dimashq |
||
12 April 2014 | Kafr Zita |
Hama |
Chlorine |
|
12 April 2014 | Al-Tamanah |
Idlib |
– | Chlorine |
13 April 2014 | Al-Tamanah |
Idlib |
– | Chlorine |
14 April 2014 | Halfaya |
Hama |
Chlorine |
|
16 April 2014 | Harasta |
Rif Dimashq |
||
16 April 2014 | Kafr Zita |
Hama |
Chlorine |
|
18 April 2014 | Al-Tamanah |
Idlib |
4 | Chlorine |
18 April 2014 | Kafr Zita |
Hama |
Chlorine |
|
21 April 2014 | Talmenes |
Idlib |
3 | Chlorine |
22 April 2014 | Darayya |
Rif Dimashq |
||
29 April 2014 | Al-Tamanah |
Idlib |
– | Chlorine |
19 May 2014 | Kafr Zita |
Hama |
1 | Chlorine |
21 May 2014 | Al-Tamanah |
Idlib |
Chlorine |
|
21 May 2014 | Kafr Zita |
Hama |
Chlorine |
|
22 May 2014 | Al-Tamanah |
Idlib |
4 | Chlorine |
22 May 2014 | Kafr Zita |
Hama |
Chlorine |
|
25 May 2014 | Al-Tamanah |
Idlib |
– | Chlorine |
29 May 2014 | Al-Lataminah |
Hama |
Chlorine |
|
12 July 2014 | Avdiko |
Aleppo |
Most likely Mustard gas |
|
27 July 2014 | Kafr Zita |
Hama |
Chlorine |
|
21 August 2014 | Jobar |
Damascus |
6 | |
28 August 2014 | Kafr Zita |
Hama |
Chlorine |
|
30 August 2014 | Kafr Zita |
Hama |
Chlorine |
|
15 February 2015 | Darayya |
Rif Dimashq |
Possibly sarin | |
21 February 2015 | Hayan |
Aleppo |
Noxious gas | |
9 March 2015 | Mzeireb |
Daraa |
Chlorine |
|
16 March 2015 | Qmenas |
Idlib |
– | Most likely Chlorine |
16 March 2015 | Sarmin |
Idlib |
6 | Most likely Chlorine |
23 March 2015 | Binnish |
Idlib |
– | Chlorine |
24 March 2015 | Qmenas |
Idlib |
Chlorine |
|
24 March 2015 | Binnish |
Idlib |
– | Chlorine |
28 June 2015 | Tell Brak |
Al-Hasakah |
Mustard gas |
|
28 June 2015 | Al-Hasakah |
Al-Hasakah |
Mustard gas |
|
21 August 2015 | Mare’ |
Aleppo |
1 (a baby) | Mustard gas |
7 April 2016 | Sheikh Maqsood |
Aleppo |
23 | Unknown |
1 August 2016 | Saraqib |
Idlib |
? | cholorine |
15 June 2016 | Eastern Ghouta |
Damascus |
Unknown | |
25 August 2016 | Dandaniya |
Aleppo |
Unknown | |
8 October 2016 | Sheikh Maqsood |
Aleppo |
3 | Noxious gas |
25 November 2016 | Sheikh Maqsood |
Aleppo |
Unknown | |
8 January 2017 | Wadi Barada |
Damascus |
? | Chlorine |
25 March 2017 | Al-Lataminah |
Chlorine [84] | ||
30 March 2017 | Al-Lataminah |
Hama |
Syrian warplanes dropping Sarin | |
3 April 2017 | Hbit |
Idlib |
2 children | Chlorine |
4 April 2017 | Khan Shaykhun |
Idlib |
58–100+ | Sarin[90] |
22 January 2018 | East Ghouta[91] | Damascus Governorate | Chlorine |
|
5 February 2018 | Saraqeb |
Idlib |
Chlorine |
|
8 April 2018 | Douma | Eastern Ghouta | Unknown |