Jump to content

Douma chemical attack: Difference between revisions

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Browse history interactively
← Previous editNext edit →
Content deleted Content added
VisualWikitext
m Reverted 2 edits by 166.104.240.105 (talk) to last revision by Fitzcarmalan. (TW)
add info
Line 36: Line 36:
{{main|Use of chemical weapons in the Syrian Civil War}}
{{main|Use of chemical weapons in the Syrian Civil War}}


Since early 2018, Douma has been the base of [[Jaysh al-Islam]], a rebel coalition fighting in the [[Syrian Civil War]].<ref>"[http://www.dw.com/en/which-rebel-groups-are-fighting-in-syrias-eastern-ghouta/a-42663501 Which rebel groups are fighting in Syria's eastern Ghouta?]". Deutsche Welle. 20 February 2018.</ref><ref>"[https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2018/04/syria-state-media-jaish-al-islam-agrees-leave-ghouta-douma-180401115350429.html Reports of Douma evacuation deal 'not true': council member]". Al-Jazeera. 1 April 2018.</ref><ref>"[https://www.sbs.com.au/news/who-are-the-rebel-groups-fighting-in-syria-s-eastern-ghouta Who are the rebel groups fighting Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's government forces in Eastern Ghouta?]" SBS News. 2 March 2018.</ref>
Since early 2018, Douma has been the base of [[Saudi Arabia]]n-supported<ref>{{cite web|title=MAPPING MILITANT ORGANIZATIONS: Jaish al-Islam|url=https://web.stanford.edu/group/mappingmilitants/cgi-bin/groups/view/533|website=Stanford University|date=31 August 2017}}</ref> [[Jaysh al-Islam]], a rebel coalition fighting in the [[Syrian Civil War]].<ref>"[http://www.dw.com/en/which-rebel-groups-are-fighting-in-syrias-eastern-ghouta/a-42663501 Which rebel groups are fighting in Syria's eastern Ghouta?]". Deutsche Welle. 20 February 2018.</ref><ref name="aljazeera">"[https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2018/04/syria-state-media-jaish-al-islam-agrees-leave-ghouta-douma-180401115350429.html Reports of Douma evacuation deal 'not true': council member]". Al-Jazeera. 1 April 2018.</ref><ref name="SBS">"[https://www.sbs.com.au/news/who-are-the-rebel-groups-fighting-in-syria-s-eastern-ghouta Who are the rebel groups fighting Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's government forces in Eastern Ghouta?]" SBS News. 2 March 2018.</ref> [[Al-Rahman Legion]] and [[Tahrir al-Sham]] rebel groups controlled the area around the city.<ref name="aljazeera"/><ref name="SBS"/>


Reports about the attack in the city followed two other smaller [[Chlorine gas poisoning|chlorine gas]] attacks there one month before&mdash;one on March 7 and another on March 11.<ref name="Arms control"/>
Reports about the attack in the city followed two other smaller [[Chlorine gas poisoning|chlorine gas]] attacks there one month before&mdash;one on March 7 and another on March 11.<ref name="Arms control"/>

Revision as of 08:43, 12 April 2018

2018 Douma chemical attack
Part of the Rif Dimashq offensive (February–April 2018), Siege of Eastern Ghouta, (Syrian Civil War)
TypeChemical attack
Location
Douma, Rif Dimashq Governorate, Syria

33°34′16″N 36°24′17″E / 33.57111°N 36.40472°E / 33.57111; 36.40472
Date7 April 2018
06:30 [citation needed] (UTC+03:00)
Executed byCurrently under investigation
Casualties48–70+[1][2] killed
500+[2] injured
Douma is located in Syria
Douma
Douma
Location of Douma within Syria

On 7 April 2018, a reported chemical attack was carried out in the Syrian city of Douma, with 70 people allegedly killed.[2]

Background

Main article: Use of chemical weapons in the Syrian Civil War

Since early 2018, Douma has been the base of Saudi Arabian-supported[3] Jaysh al-Islam, a rebel coalition fighting in the Syrian Civil War.[4][5][6] Al-Rahman Legion and Tahrir al-Sham rebel groups controlled the area around the city.[5][6]

Reports about the attack in the city followed two other smaller chlorine gas attacks there one month before—one on March 7 and another on March 11.[7]

Such attacks were common beforehand. For instance, Human Rights Watch documented 85 chemical weapons attacks in Syria since 2013 as part of the civil war.[7]

Regardless of that commonality, other nations had responded measuredly to chemical attacks in the Levantine country. A year earlier, for example, the United States fired 59 Tomahawk cruise missiles on the Shayrat Air Base in response to the Khan Shaykhun chemical attack, which the Trump administration attributed to the Syrian government. Following that strike, the U.S. government repeatedly warned against the use of chemical weapons in Syria.[8] For instance, in February 2018, U.S. Secretary of Defense James Mattis stated that he believed that the Syrian government had not complied with the Russian-brokered deal to destroy its chemical weapons arsenal. Mattis further warned that the government of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad would be "ill-advised to go back to violating" the prohibition of chemical weapons use. At the same time, the United States also accused the Syrian government of manufacturing "new kinds of weapons" that were capable of delivering chemical agents.[9]

Attack

Several medical,[10] monitoring, and activist groups[2]—including the White Helmets—reported that Syrian Army helicopters dropped barrel bombs on the city of Douma.[11][12][13][14][15] The bombs, suspected to be filled with chemical munitions such as chlorine gas and sarin,[16][17] caused severe convulsions in some residents and suffocated others.[18]

Seventy deaths were attributed to the attack by the Union of Medical Care and Relief Organizations, a humanitarian organization that supervises medical services in the region. On-site medics reported that the cause of those deaths was exposure to chlorine and sarin gas.[19] Moreover, according to witnesses on the ground, most patients seeking treatment in the aftermath of the attack were women and children.[citation needed] A video from the scene of the attack showed lifeless men, women, and children with foam at their mouths.[18] Injuries were also reported, with the Syrian American Medical Society (SAMS) reporting that over 500 people at Douma "were brought to local medical centers with symptoms indicative of exposure to a chemical agent."[20] SAMS also said that a chlorine bomb struck a Douma hospital, killing six people there, and that another attack with "mixed agents" hit a building nearby.[21] According to the Syrian opposition groups, witnesses also reported a strong smell of chorine during the attack and said that effects appeared stronger than in previous attacks of this kind.[22] Syrian opposition activists also posted videos of yellow compressed gas cylinders that they said were used during the attack.[22] Based on the symptoms and the speed with which the victims were affected, medical workers and experts suggested that either a combination of chlorine with another gas or a nerve agent was used.[22]

Disputed veracity

The veracity of the reports on the attack was disputed. On one hand, several nations—including the United States, the European Union, Turkey, and several middle eastern nations—condemned the Syrian government for the alleged attack.[23] On the other hand, the Syrian government and its allies—particularly Russia—instead claimed that no chemical weapons were used in the city.

There have been reported incidents of chemical weapons use in Douma in January 2018; however, Russia vetoed a potential United Nations mission to investigate,[24] and US Defense Secretary James Mattis said they could not corroborate the reports.[25] In a March 2018 statement, Valery Gerasimov, Chief of the Russian military's General Staff, accused Eastern Ghouta rebels of attempting to fabricate an incident involving chemical weapons to be used by the U.S. as a pretext to target the Assad government, without specifying the timing of the incident.[26]

Investigations by the United Nations and the OPCW have concluded that the Syrian government has previously used chemical weapons in the Khan Shaykhun chemical attack.[27][28]

On 15 March, the China Central Television reported that the Syrian military claimed it had discovered a chemical weapon workshop located within a farm previously under rebel control near the suburb of Douma.[29] The Syrian government and Russia have in the past claimed the Khan Shaykhun chemical attack came from a rebel operated chemical weapon workshop, however their claim has been disproved by OPCW investigations.[30][31]

In addition to the findings from the Khan Shaykhun attack, a joint OPCW-U.N. panel in 2016 determined that the Syrian government twice used helicopters to deploy chlorine gas in civilian areas in northern Idlib. A later report holds the government responsible for a third attack. The attacks occurred in 2014 and 2015. The panel also found that the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria used mustard gas.[32]

Aftermath

The day after the chemical attack, the rebels controlling Douma agreed to a deal with the government to surrender the area.[33]

In the early hours of 9 April 2018, an airstrike was conducted against Tiyas Military Airbase, reportedly killing several people.[34] The United States denied launching the airstrike, and an Israeli spokeswoman declined to comment.[35] Russia said Israel was responsible, and that two Israeli F-15I jets attacked the airfield from Lebanese airspace, firing 8 missiles of which 5 were intercepted.[36] According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitor, at least 14 people were killed and more were wounded.[37] Among the dead were seven Iranian soldiers.[38]

Russia and Iran have said that the Douma attack was a false flag attack.[39] On 10 April Russia vetoed a UN resolution that would have created "a new investigative mechanism to look into chemical weapons attacks in Syria and determine who is responsible."[40] Instead, Syria and Russia have invited the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons to investigate if chemical weapons were used.[41]

On 10 April U.S. President Donald Trump, the U.K. Prime Minister Theresa May, and French President Emmanuel Macron said in a statement following joint telephone calls that they had "agreed that the international community needed to respond to uphold the worldwide prohibition on the use of chemical weapons".[42]

On 11 April Trump warned Russia in a tweet to "get ready" for "missiles" adding that "You shouldn't be partners with a Gas Killing Animal who kills his people and enjoys it!" Vasily Nebenzia, Russia's ambassador to the United Nations, said that the United States would "bear responsibility" for any "illegal military adventure" they conducted.[43]

Reactions

Countries

  •  Australia: Foreign Minister Julie Bishop wrote: "We urge all parties involved in #Syria conflict to apply maximum pressure on the Syrian regime to fully halt any and all chemical weapons related activity."[44]
  •  Qatar: The Foreign Ministry expressed deep shock, strongly condemned the attack and called for an international investigation.[45]
  •  Russia: The Foreign Ministry on 8 April denied that chemical weapons had been used, denouncing the reports as another example of a "continuous series of fake news about the use of chlorine and other chemical agents by the government forces".[46] A few days later, the Russian military said that the chemical attack had been staged and filmed by members of the White Helmets organization and no trace of any chemical weapons use had been detected by Russian experts who researched the alleged site on 9 April.[47][48]
  •  Saudi Arabia: An unnamed source from the country's foreign ministry stated that the country expressed deep concerns and condemned the attack, stressing a need to stop such attacks.[49]
  •  Syria: A source at Foreign and Expatriates Ministry said that "allegations of using chemical weapons have become an unconvincing stereotype, except for some countries which traffic with the blood of civilians and support terrorism in Syria".[50]
  •  Turkey: The Ministry of Foreign Affairs released a statement strongly condemning the attack. Presidential spokesman Ibrahim Kalin said: "The Syrian regime must give account for the attacks in various regions of the country at different times." Also added "The entire international community, primarily countries that have an influence on the Syrian regime, has a responsibility to take the necessary steps in order to prevent similar war crimes and crimes against humanity".[51] President Erdoğan said: "Those who committed this massacre will definitely pay a heavy price. I curse those who committed this massacre. We are conducting talks and efforts over this. I had a phone conversation with Mr. Vladimir Putin yesterday. Talks will continue today and tomorrow.[52]
  •  United Kingdom: Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson said regarding reports on chemical attacks that "these latest reports must urgently be investigated and the international community must respond" and that "investigators from the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons [are] looking into reports of chemical weapons use in Syria have our full support. Russia must not yet again try to obstruct these investigations". He also condemned the use of chemical weapons in general, adding that "those responsible for the use of chemical weapons have lost all moral integrity and must be held to account.".[53]
  •  United States: President Donald Trump condemned the attack on Twitter, saying "many dead, including women and children, in mindless CHEMICAL attack in Syria. Area of atrocity is in lockdown and encircled by Syrian Army, making it completely inaccessible to outside world. President Putin, Russia and Iran are responsible for backing Animal Assad. Big price to pay. Open area immediately for medical help and verification. Another humanitarian disaster for no reason whatsoever. SICK!"[54][55] Trump canceled his trip to the 8th Summit of the Americas, sending Vice President Mike Pence in his place.[56]

Supranational organizations

  •  European Union: In a statement, the EU said that "the evidence points towards yet another chemical attack by the regime" and "it is a matter of grave concern that chemical weapons continue to be used, especially 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". It also called for the United Nations Security Council to identify the perpetrators and for Russia and Iran to influence Assad against launching such attacks.[57]

See also

References

  1. ^ CNN, Tamara Qiblawi and Frederik Pleitgen,. "Trump's Syria threat dismissed on streets of Damascus". {{cite web}}: |last= has generic name (help)CS1 maint: extra punctuation (link) CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  2. ^ a b c d "Suspected Syria chemical attack kills 70". BBC News. 8 April 2018. Retrieved 8 April 2018.
  3. ^ "MAPPING MILITANT ORGANIZATIONS: Jaish al-Islam". Stanford University. 31 August 2017.
  4. ^ "Which rebel groups are fighting in Syria's eastern Ghouta?". Deutsche Welle. 20 February 2018.
  5. ^ a b "Reports of Douma evacuation deal 'not true': council member". Al-Jazeera. 1 April 2018.
  6. ^ a b "Who are the rebel groups fighting Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's government forces in Eastern Ghouta?" SBS News. 2 March 2018.
  7. ^ a b Kimball, Daryl; Davenport, Kelsey (April 2018). "Timeline of Syrian Chemical Weapons Activity, 2012-2018". Arms Control Association.
  8. ^ Rogoway, Tyler (7 April 2018). "If Reports Of Deadly Gas Attack In Syria Are True Will U.S. Strike As Promised?". TheDrive.com. Retrieved 8 April 2018.
  9. ^ Burns, Robert (2 February 2018). "US has no evidence of Syrian use of sarin gas, Mattis says". Associated Press. Retrieved 8 April 2018.
  10. ^ "Syrian rebels evacuated from Douma reach northwest: monitor". Reuters date=April 10, 2018. {{cite news}}: Missing pipe in: |publisher= (help)
  11. ^ "UK, US and France agree to HIT BACK over Syria chemical attack". 10 April 2018.
  12. ^ "Suspected Syria chemical attack kills 70". 8 April 2018 – via www.bbc.com.
  13. ^ "Syrian government accused of using nerve agents as death toll from Douma 'chemical weapons attack' rises". 8 April 2018.
  14. ^ Almasy, Steve (April 8, 2018). "Dozens dead in possible gas attack in Syria; regime denies allegation". CNN.
  15. ^ Loveluck, Louisa; Cunningham, Erin (April 8, 2018). "Dozens killed in apparent chemical weapons attack on civilians in Syria, rescue workers say". The Washington Post.
  16. ^ "Assad's deadly nerve gas that leaves victims foaming at the mouth before suffering seizures and death". 11 April 2018.
  17. ^ "Syria chemical attack would be the eighth since Trump took office".
  18. ^ a b "Syria war: Trump condemns Syria for 'chemical attack' on Douma". BBC. 8 April 2018. Retrieved 8 April 2018.
  19. ^ Graham, Chris; Krol, Charlotte; Crilly, Rob; Ensor, Josie; Swinford, Steven; Riley-Smith, Ben; Emanuel, Louis (8 April 2018). "Russia blames Israel for attack on Syrian air base as pressure mounts over gas atrocity". Retrieved 9 April 2018 – via www.telegraph.co.uk.
  20. ^ "Dozens killed in apparent chemical weapons attack on civilians in Syria, rescue workers say". Washington Post. 8 April 2018. Retrieved 9 April 2018.
  21. ^ "Dozens dead in suspected chemical weapons attack in Syria". dw.com. 8 April 2018. Retrieved 9 April 2018.
  22. ^ a b c "Chlorine, sarin or something else? The big questions in the alleged Syrian chemical weapons attack". Washington Post. 11 April 2018. Retrieved 11 April 2018.
  23. ^ Hubbard, Ben (April 8, 2018). "Dozens Suffocate in Syria as Government Is Accused of Chemical Attack". The New York Times.
  24. ^ CNN, Richard Roth,. "Things got heated between the US and Russia today at the UN". Retrieved 9 April 2018. {{cite web}}: |last= has generic name (help)CS1 maint: extra punctuation (link) CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  25. ^ U.S. has no evidence of Syrian use of sarin gas, Mattis says. PBS, February 2
  26. ^ "Twitter Axis Of Evil: Trump Tweets Threats To Syria, Russia, And Iran Over Chemical Attack In Syria". Inquisitr. 8 April 2018.
  27. ^ Both ISIL and Syrian Government responsible for use of chemical weapons, UN Security Council told, UN News Centre, 7 November 2017
  28. ^ UN panel blames Syrian forces for Khan Sheikhoun attack, Al-Jazeera, 27 October 2017
  29. ^ "叙政府军在东古塔区域发现反政府武装化武作坊" (in Chinese). CCTV. 15 March 2018. Retrieved 8 April 2018. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |1= (help)
  30. ^ Press, Associated (10 April 2018). "Timeline of chemical weapons attacks in Syria" – via www.washingtonpost.com.
  31. ^ Sputnik. "'Chemical Weapons': The Pipedream Excuse Used in Syria by Two US Administrations". sputniknews.com.
  32. ^ Press, Associated (10 April 2018). "Timeline of chemical weapons attacks in Syria" – via www.washingtonpost.com.
  33. ^ "America vows to respond to a suspected chemical attack in Syria". The Economist. 9 April 2018. Retrieved 10 April 2018.
  34. ^ Syria conflict: Strikes hit Syrian airfield, state media report, BBC, 9 April 2018
  35. ^ Syria says suspected U.S. missiles fired at air base; Washington denies strike, Reuters, 9 April 2018
  36. ^ Russia Says Israel Carried Out Missile Attack on Syrian Base, Bloomberg, 9 April 2018
  37. ^ "Russia, Syria blame Israel for deadly strike on Syrian air base". Times of Israel. 9 April 2018. Retrieved 9 April 2018.
  38. ^ "Israeli attack on T-4 Airbase killed 7 Iranian soldiers". 10 April 2018.
  39. ^ Chulov, Martin; Shaheen, Kareem; Chrisafis, Angelique; Pengelly, Martin (8 April 2018). "Trump: 'big price to pay' for Syria chemical weapons attack". the Guardian.
  40. ^ "Russia Vetoes U.S. Resolution On Syria In U.N. Security Council".
  41. ^ "OPCW Will Deploy Fact-Finding Mission to Douma, Syria". www.opcw.org.
  42. ^ "MPs caution May against Syria action without Commons vote". The Guardian. 11 April 2018. Retrieved 11 April 2018.
  43. ^ "Trump warns Russia on Syria missile threat". BBC News. 11 April 2018. Retrieved 11 April 2018.
  44. ^ "Julie Bishop on Twitter". Twitter. Retrieved 2018-04-09.
  45. ^ "Qatar calls for urgent international probe into chemical weapons use in Syria". The Peninsula. 8 April 2018. Retrieved 8 April 2018.
  46. ^ "Moscow calls 'chemical attack' in Douma 'fake news,' warns against Syrian intervention". RT. 8 April 2018. Retrieved 8 April 2018.
  47. ^ Генштаб РФ объявил об отправке в Думу российской военной полиции NEWSru, 11 April 2018.
  48. ^ White Helmets staged Douma ‘chemical weapons attack’ on civilians — Russian General Staff TASS, 11 April 2018.
  49. ^ "Saudi Arabia condemns Douma chemical attack". Arab News. 8 April 2018. Retrieved 8 April 2018.
  50. ^ "Foreign Ministry: Allegations of using chemical weapons unconvincing stereotype – Syrian Arab News Agency". sana.sy. Retrieved 9 April 2018.
  51. ^ "Turkey condemns use of chemical weapons in Syria's Douma". Reuters. 8 April 2018. Retrieved 8 April 2018.
  52. ^ [1] Those behind Douma chemical attack will pay, Erdoğan says
  53. ^ "Boris Johnson demands international response to reported Syria poison gas attack". Belfast Telegraph. 8 April 2018. Retrieved 8 April 2018.
  54. ^ @realDonaldTrump (8 April 2018). "Many dead, including women and children, in mindless CHEMICAL attack in Syria. Area of atrocity is in lockdown and encircled by Syrian Army, making it completely inaccessible to outside world. President Putin, Russia and Iran are responsible for backing Animal Assad. Big price..." (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  55. ^ @realDonaldTrump (8 April 2018). "....to pay. Open area immediately for medical help and verification. Another humanitarian disaster for no reason whatsoever. SICK!" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  56. ^ Bierman, Noah (10 April 2018). "Trump, facing twin crises, will skip South America summit". Los Angeles Times.
  57. ^ "EU calls for response to 'yet another chemical attack' in Syria". Reuters. 8 April 2018.
  58. ^ Security Council fails to adopt three resolutions on chemical weapons use in Syria UN, 10 April 2018.
  59. ^ U.S., Russia clash at U.N. over chemical weapons attacks in Syria Reuters, 9 April 2018.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Douma_chemical_attack&oldid=836035473"
pFad - Phonifier reborn

Pfad - The Proxy pFad of © 2024 Garber Painting. All rights reserved.

Note: This service is not intended for secure transactions such as banking, social media, email, or purchasing. Use at your own risk. We assume no liability whatsoever for broken pages.


Alternative Proxies:

Alternative Proxy

pFad Proxy

pFad v3 Proxy

pFad v4 Proxy