International inquiry finds sulphur mustard exposure in Syria

[webfact]

International inquiry finds sulphur mustard exposure in Syria

By Michelle Nichols

REUTERS

 

UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - Investigators from the global chemical weapons watchdog found that two Syrian women were exposed to sulphur mustard in an apparent attack in Aleppo province last September, a report to the United Nations Security Council said.

 

The Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) Fact Finding Mission was not able to visit the site. Investigators based their finding on interviews with the women, an analysis of blood samples taken under their supervision, and a review of information provided by the Syrian government and Russia.

 

"The FFM can confirm that the two female casualties reported to have been involved in the incident in Um Hosh, Aleppo of 16 September 2016 were exposed to sulphur mustard," the mission wrote in a report to the Security Council earlier this month and made public on Tuesday.

 

A Russian team of investigators visited the site two months after the reported attack. The OPCW mission examined a mortar reported to be linked to the attack, which had been recovered by the Russian team and given to the Syrian government.

 

"Supported by the results of laboratory analysis, the FFM has determined that this mortar ... is a munition containing sulphur mustard," the report said.

 

The OPCW Fact Finding Mission is only responsible for determining if chemical weapons were used in attacks in Syria.

 

A joint United Nations and OPCW investigation could now look at the incident to determine who is to blame. This team has already found Syrian government forces were responsible for three chlorine gas attacks in 2014 and 2015 and that Islamic State militants used mustard gas.

 

Syria agreed to destroy its chemical weapons in 2013 under a deal brokered by Russia and the United States.

 

The OPCW mission is also investigating a gas attack last month in Syria that killed dozens of people and prompted the United States to launch missiles on a Syrian air base. The OPCW has said a sarin or sarin-like substance was used.

 

Western powers blame Syrian government forces for the attack in the rebel-held area of northern Syria. The Syrian government, which is backed by Russia, has denied responsibility.

 

A crackdown by Syrian President Bashar al-Assad on pro-democracy protesters in 2011 led to civil war and Islamic State militants have used the chaos to seize territory in Syria and Iraq. Half of Syria's 22 million people have been uprooted and more than 400,000 killed.

 

(Reporting by Michelle Nichols; editing by Grant McCool)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2017-05-17

[boomerangutang]

Syria and N.Korea are the worst places for a human to try to survive.  3rd place is central east African region.  Yesterday, an article in NPR.org showcased a cremation facility in Syria which is located next to a prison.  It's estimated that as many as 30 political prisoners/day were murdered, and then shuttled a few tens of meters over to the crematorium.   Prisoners were given a choice:  kill your relative or best friend, or be killed yourself.

 

npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2017/05/15/528485624/syria-has-been-burning-bodies-to-hide-prison-executions-for-years-u-s-says

[anon4546543]

5 hours ago, boomerangutang said:

Syria and N.Korea are the worst places for a human to try to survive.  3rd place is central east African region.  Yesterday, an article in NPR.org showcased a cremation facility in Syria which is located next to a prison.  It's estimated that as many as 30 political prisoners/day were murdered, and then shuttled a few tens of meters over to the crematorium.   Prisoners were given a choice:  kill your relative or best friend, or be killed yourself.

 

npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2017/05/15/528485624/syria-has-been-burning-bodies-to-hide-prison-executions-for-years-u-s-says

The post was about mustard gas by the totally incompetent and over bloated budget "snouts in the trough" United Nations.

Whatever happens in Syria, the smartly dressed UN spongers that appear on media will have had nothing to do with an outcome. (maybe a bit of hand wringing)

As for the crematorium, there is no truth about this yet, just some accusations from the same organisations that presented us with the "Bay of Tonkin" incident (55,000) dead US servicemen.

WMD, not sure how many US lives, but hundreds and thousands from a stable, but repressive Iraq. And look at the mess now.

Now Syria. I no more believe the US anymore. May as well believe Putin when he says they did not receive intelligence from another Trump gaff.