• Military

• WMD Menu                           

• Introduction
• Systems
• Facilities
• Agencies
• Operations
• Countries
• Hot Documents
• News
• Reports
• Policy
• Budget
• Congress
• Links

• Intelligence
• Homeland Security
• Space

UN Says It's Likely Chemical Weapons Were Used In Syria

June 04, 2013
by RFE/RL

UN investigators say they have 'reasonable grounds' to believe that limited amounts of chemical weapons have been used in Syria.

But the UN Commission of Inquiry said in a report released on June 4 in Geneva that more evidence is needed to determine the precise chemical agents used and who used them.

The report said 'war crimes and crimes against humanity have become a daily reality in Syria.'

'Government forces, as you see in the report, and affiliated militia have committed murder, torture, rape, forcible displacement, enforced disappearances, and other inhumane acts,' Paulo Pinheiro, the head of the commission, said on June 3 in Geneva ahead of the release of the report.

'Many of these crimes were perpetrated as part of widespread or systematic attacks against civilian populations and constitute crimes against humanity. War crimes and gross violations of international human rights law, including summary execution, arbitrary arrests and detention, unlawful attack, attacking protected objects, pillaging and destruction of property, have also been committed.'

Pinheiro added that the rebels have also committed atrocities.

'Antigovernment armed groups have also committed war crimes, including murder, sentencing and execution without a due process, torture, hostage-taking, and pillage,' he said. 'They continue to endanger the civilian population by positioning military [targets] in civilian areas.'

The commission, consisting of more than 20 investigators, examined four possible chemical attacks that reportedly took place in March and April.

The report, based on interviews with victims, medical staff, and other witnesses, covered the period from mid-January to mid-May.

The United Nations estimates that more than 80,000 people have been killed in Syria's two-year civil war.

Based on reporting by Reuters and AP

Source: http://www.rferl.org/content/un-syria- chemical-weapons/25006493.html

Copyright (c) 2013. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.