Government Forces’ Use of Poison Gases and Disrespect for the Security Council
Executive Summary:
Since 23 December, 2012, when government forces targeted Al-Bayyada neighborhood in Homs, gases believed to be chemical have been used 28 times. The most recent chemical attack was on Monday 21/July/2013 when Al-Yarmouk Camp neighborhood in the south of Damascus was targeted. These attacks killed a total of 83 individuals, and injured 1271 others.
Please review the previous reports and studies published by SNHR which document the details of the previous incidents.
After the attacks on both Eastern and western Gouta and in result of the US, European and Arab military efforts that aimed to protect civilians in Syria similar to what was done in Libya, without having to resort to an obstructed Security Council, the Syrian government signed – on14/September/2013 the CWC treaty. On 27/September/2013 the resolution 2118 was adopted and included a clause that stated the intervention of the Security Council under Chapter VII in the event of breaching the agreement by the Syrian government.
Syrians become optimistic after Security Council resolution 2118 was adopted as their children will not die suffocating while they are watching them in panic especially since it has been issued under Chapter VII.
In fact, government forces stopped using poison gas. However, the killing continued through torture, Scud missiles, barrel bombs, cluster munitions, artillery, mortar, and other conventional weapons which have killed 99% of the Syrians, while only 1% were killed in chemical attacks.
