Chemical Weapon: UN Releases Syrian Report
After further investigation into the use of chemical weapons, particularly Nerve gas in the Surburbs of Syrian capital,Damscus on August 21, UN weapon inspectors have finally released evidence which they describe as ‘Overwhelming and Indisputable’.
The report however, does not confirm the exact Perpetrator of the crime. Accusing fingers point to the Government of Bashar Al-Assad as International Observers have said that the rockets used to deliver the weapons are not known to be in the possession of Opposing Rebels.
The UN Secretary-General, Ban Ki-Moon, who termed the action a ‘War Crime’ briefed Security Members before releasing the report on Monday. “It is the most significant confirmed use of chemical weapons against civilians since Saddam Hussein used them in Halabja in 1988, and the worst use of weapons of mass destruction in the 21st century,” He said,”The international community has a responsibility to ensure that chemical weapons never re-emerge as an instrument of warfare.”
The 38-page report identified the nerve agent used as Sarin,also said that the chemical was delivered by surface-to-surface rockets on a large scale. Sarin is a lethal organophosphorus compound which is used as a nerve agent due to its extreme toxicity. It is lethal even at very low concentrations resulting in death within one minute of direct ingestion due to suffocation from lung muscle paralysis, unless some antidotes are quickly administered to a person.
“The regime possesses sarin, and we have no evidence that the opposition possesses sarin,” US Ambassador Samantha Power said. “It defies logic” to think members of the opposition would have infiltrated a regime-controlled area to fire on opposition-controlled areas.
Australia, Britain, France and NATO have also said they believe the Syrian President is behind the attack, though Russia still maintains its stand behind Al-Assad,saying the Rebels just might be responsible for the attack.