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Syrian government forces fired chlorine, a banned chemical weapon, on an opposition-held Damascus suburb and on Idlib province this year, in attacks that constitute war crimes, United Nations human rights investigators said on Wednesday.
The three incidents bring to 39 the number of chemical attacks which the Commission of Inquiry on Syria has documented since 2013, including 33 attributed to the government, a U.N. official told Reuters. The perpetrators of the remaining six have not been sufficiently identified.
Weaponising chlorine is prohibited under the Chemical Weapons Convention, ratified by Syria, and under customary international humanitarian law, the investigators said in their latest report.
Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Wednesday Germany could not simply look away if chemical attacks took place in Syria, two days after her government said it was in talks with its allies about a possible military deployment in the war-torn country.The conservative leader said Germany's could not just reject military intervention, a direct rebuke of her Social Democratic coalition partners, who have rejected participation in military action against Syria."It cannot be the German position to simply say 'no', no matter what happens in the world," she told the Bundestag lower house of parliament.Germany, the world's fourth largest economy, is under pressure from the United States to boost military spending and shoulder more responsibility within NATO. It did not participate in military strikes carried out by U.S., French and British forces on Syria in April after a chemical weapons attack.UK 'strongly' agrees with Turkey's Erdoğan on IdlibBut Merkel and her conservatives must win over the more pacifist Social Democrats (SPD), junior partners in the ruling coalition, and overcome massive public opposition to Germany's participation in military combat missions.SPD leader Andrea Nahles on Wednesday told lawmakers her party would not agree to military intervention in Syria unless the United Nations authorised such action.Combat missions remain a sensitive topic in Germany, given its Nazi past. Participation in any air strikes in Syria would also put Germany on a collision course with Russia, the main backer of President Bashar al-Assad.Seventy-four percent of Germans oppose participation in a military intervention in the event of another chemical weapons attack by the Syrian government, according to a new poll by Die Welt newspaper that was published Wednesday.UN chief says 'essential' to avoid Idlib 'bloodbath'US rips Russia, Iran, Assad regime amid Idlib offensiveMerkel calls for European solidarity to tackle illegal migrationGerman Chancellor Angela Merkel appealed to European Union members to show solidarity to ensure the Frontex border agency has sufficient powers to be effective and help stop illegal migration, in line with European Commission plans."The question of fighting illegal migration means we have to strengthen external border protection ... that means also that the countries with an external border must give up some of their national responsibilities," Merkel told parliament on Wednesday."That requires a degree of solidarity, it is about people coming to us or our duty to make legal migration possible to help countries that are in trouble," she added.Nearly 600 irregular migrants held across TurkeyAnti-immigration party set for election gains as Sweden swings rightMerkel condemns far-right violence in eastern GermanyChancellor Merkel also condemned recent far-right violence in eastern Germany and called for stronger efforts to strengthen peaceful coexistence in Germany.“Jews, Muslims belong to our society, just like Christians and atheists,” Merkel said.She denounced violence by far-right extremists in several eastern German cities in recent weeks, following reports of murder and other crimes allegedly perpetrated by foreigners.“There can be no excuse or justification for tracking people down, using violence, chanting Nazi slogans and displaying hostility on people who look different,” she stressed.Far-right groups organized various rallies in eastern cities of Chemnitz and Koethen in recent weeks, where mobs hunted down foreign-looking people on the streets and attacked restaurants owned by Jews or other migrants.
Germany can't look away if Syria uses chemical weapons: Merkel
"To recapture eastern Ghouta in April, government forces launched numerous indiscriminate attacks in densely populated civilian areas, which included the use of chemical weapons," it said, referring to incidents on Jan. 22 and Feb. 1 in a residential area of Douma, eastern Ghouta, outside the capital.
Women and children were injured in the attacks, suffering respiratory distress and requiring oxygen, it added.
The UK's UN ambassador "strongly" agreed with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Tuesday amid a mounting offensive on northwestern Syria's Idlib province.“We strongly agree with President Erdogan,” Karen Pierce told the UN Security Council citing an op-ed penned by Erdoğan.Erdogan on Monday said in the Wall Street Journal: “All members of the international community must understand their responsibilities as the assault on Idlib looms. The consequences of inaction are immense.”“A regime assault [in Idlib] would also create serious humanitarian and security risks for Turkey, the rest of Europe and beyond,” he added.UN chief says 'essential' to avoid Idlib 'bloodbath'US rips Russia, Iran, Assad regime amid Idlib offensiveHe noted the regime's criminal acts -- arbitrary arrests, systematic torture, summary executions, barrel bombs, chemical and conventional weapons -- which targeted Syrians for seven years."As a result of the Syrian civil war, which the United Nations Human Rights Council calls ‘the worst man-made disaster since World War II’, millions of innocent people have become refugees or have been internally displaced," he said.He also noted Turkey's role in protecting the Syrian people, as it hosts the largest number of refugees in the world at 3.5 million.Pierce said the council faces "a choice", between a Syrian regime and Russian "military assault on Idlib in which, as many colleagues have said today, thousands of civilians will die," or "we allow Turkey and opposition groups the support, space and time to separate out the terrorists and tackle them themselves."Turkey has a plan, Madam President, in Idlib and it does involve reaching an agreement with the Syrian opposition whereby the regime refrains from attacking them while they combat terrorism," she said referring to Nikki Haley, the U.S.'s UN envoy and council president."This is what we should be discussing today, Madam President, but I think it has been absent from the briefing we received from Russia just now," Pierce added.Haley further blamed Russia and the regime for allegedly carrying out more than 100 airstrikes, some of which she said were "ruthless double tap" strikes targeting first responders.“It is a disgusting tactic of terrorists, not professional soldiers,” she said.She alleged Moscow, Tehran and Damascus are not interested in pursuing a political solution to the Syrian crisis, saying “Turkey learned this lesson last week” during trilateral talks in the Iranian capital.“The United States is long past taking Russia and Iran at their word that they are interested in protecting civilians in Idlib from further violence," she said. "If Assad, Russia, and Iran continue down the path they are on, the consequences will be dire. The world will hold them responsible. And no number of Security Council meetings will ever change that.”The UN warned Monday at least 30,000 residents in Idlib have been displaced in the first nine days this month amid the Russian and regime air campaign there.
UK 'strongly' agrees with Turkey's Erdoğan on Idlib
"INDISCRIMINATE ATTACKS"
"The Commission concludes that, on these two occasions, government forces and or affiliated militias committed the war crimes of using prohibited weapons and launching indiscriminate attacks in civilian-populated areas in eastern Ghouta," it said.
A surface-to-surface, improvised rocket-assisted munition had been used in the two Douma incidents, it said. "Specifically the munitions documented were built around industrially-produced Iranian artillery rockets known to have been supplied to forces commanded by the (Syrian) government," the report added.
In the northwest province of Idlib - where the United Nations fears a major imminent assault by Syrian and Russian forces against the last opposition-held stronghold - chlorine was also used on February 4, the U.N. report said.
UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres said Tuesday it is "absolutely essential" for a full-blown military offensive to be avoided in northwestern Syria's Idlib province."This would unleash a humanitarian nightmare unlike any seen in the blood-soaked Syrian conflict," Guterres told reporters at the UN's New York headquarters. "It must not be transformed into a blood bath."The UN warned Monday at least 30,000 residents in Idlib have been displaced in the first nine days of September amid the Russian and regime air campaign there.Guterres said half of the 2.9 million people living in Idlib have gone to the northwestern province after fleeing violence elsewhere in Syria."They include close to 1 million children. Their lives have been upended and they have nowhere to go," he said. "I understand that the present situation in Idlib is not sustainable and the presence of terrorist groups cannot be tolerated. But fighting terrorism does not absolve warring parties of their core obligations under international law."Guterres made a particular appeal to Turkey, Iran and Russia -- known as the Astana guarantors. You should "spare no effort to find solutions that protect civilians. Preserve basic services and hospitals. Ensure full respect for international humanitarian law"."I think it is absolutely essential [for] Russia, Iran, and Turkey, not to mention other countries directly or indirectly involved in this situation, to really come together at the present moment more than ever because Idlib is such a mess that, without a strong commitment of all these parties, we could be moving into a situation that would lead to the kind of massive battle that would have unpredictable consequences," he said.The UN warned last week an offensive on Idlib would likely lead to the “worst humanitarian catastrophe of the 21st century.”
UN chief says 'essential' to avoid Idlib 'bloodbath'
"Government helicopters dropped at least two barrels carrying chlorine payloads in the Taleel area of Saraqeb," it said, adding that at least 11 men were injured.
"Documentary and material evidence analysed by the Commission confirmed the presence of helicopters in the area and the use of two yellow gas cylinders".
The report, based on 400 interviews, also examined aerial and ground attacks by Turkey's 'Operation Olive Branch', conducted with allied Syrian opposition, which wrestled the northwest Afrin region from Syrian Kurdish forces this spring.
Afrin's main hospital, a market and homes were hit, it said.
A possible attack on Syria’s northwestern province of Idlib will sabotage the ongoing political process and cause a serious crisis of confidence, the Turkish presidential spokesman said on Tuesday. Ibrahim Kalın’s remarks came after a Cabinet meeting chaired by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan at the presidential complex.Since the beginning of this month, at least 30 civilians have been killed in Idlib and Hama -- and dozens injured -- by airstrikes and attacks by the regime and Russian warplanes, according to the White Helmets civil defense agency.Moderate opposition in Syria's Idlib braces for attackThe Syrian regime recently announced plans to launch a major military offensive in Idlib, which remains under the control of various armed opposition groups.Last week, the UN warned that such an offensive would likely lead to the “worst humanitarian catastrophe of the 21st century”.Kalın said Turkey expects all parties to make “constructive” contributions and agree on a political solution on Syria.Let’s stop the civil war in Syria’s Idlib: Turkish FMHe urged the West including the U.S. to join hands in stopping a possible attack on Idlib. Earlier on Tuesday, Turkish Foreign Ministry said that the representatives of guarantor countries -- Turkey, Russia, and Iran – met UN Special Envoy to Syria Staffan de Mistura on Sept. 10-11 in Geneva.“During the meeting, they discussed the formation of a constitutional committee and its codes of practice which constitute an important step in the struggle of finding a political solution to the Syrian crisis," the Foreign Ministry said in a statement. UN voices concern over escalating tension in NW SyriaIran seeks to avert disaster in Syria's Idlib: Iranian senior officialUS move on closing PLO office in Washington On the U.S. administration’s recent decision to close the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) office in Washington, Kalın said that any solution, which does not recognize the will of Palestinians, is not plausible. He said that it is unacceptable for Palestinians to be exposed to isolation or an embargo for any reason. The U.S. move comes in ostensible retaliation for efforts by the Palestinian leadership to have crimes allegedly committed by Israel prosecuted by The Hague-based International Criminal Court (ICC).Economy Speaking about the Turkish economy, Kalın said there was no panic and apparent turbulence will be over soon.The announcement of Medium Term Program in coming weeks will jot down a critical roadmap for the economy, he added.The Turkish lira has been losing its value against the U.S. dollar for the past several weeks after the U.S. president doubled tariffs on Turkish steel and aluminum.The Turkish economy grew by 5.2 percent in the second quarter of this year compared with the same period last year, the country's statistical authority announced Monday.Turkey topped the list among Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) member countries and came second among EU members who have so far announced their annual growth performances in the second quarter.
'Attack on Idlib to sabotage ongoing political process’
"In conducting airstrikes beginning on 20 January, the Turkish air force may have failed to take all feasible precautions prior to launching certain attacks, in violation of international humanitarian law," the report said.
Fighters of the Free Syrian Army were "notorious for their arbitrary arrests and detention" in Afrin, it added.
More than a million civilians were displaced in six major battles across Syria during the first six months of the year, many marked by war crimes, the report said.
Thousands of displaced civilians still live in dire conditions in severely overcrowded centres, "where many are still being unlawfully interned by Government forces", it said.
Turkey's UN envoy demanded an "immediate and complete" cease-fire to halt all military operations in northwestern Syria's Idlib province on Tuesday."We invite the international community to vocally and actively support our efforts to this end," Feridun Sinirlioğlu told the Security Council during a session on the province.The call comes as Russia, Iran and the Assad regime increase military operations in Idlib amid fears of a humanitarian catastrophe there.Moderate opposition in Syria's Idlib braces for attackSince the beginning of September, at least 30 civilians have been killed in Idlib and Hama, and dozens injured, by airstrikes and attacks by the regime and Russian warplanes, according to the White Helmets civil defense agency.The UN warned Monday at least 30,000 residents in Idlib have been displaced in the first nine days of this month amid a Russian and regime air campaign there.Sinirlioğlu warned "an all-out military operation would result in a major humanitarian catastrophe. Such an operation would trigger a massive wave of refugees and tremendous security risks for Turkey, the rest of Europe and beyond."Let’s stop the civil war in Syria’s Idlib: Turkish FM"With all our generosity, we have gone to extraordinary lengths to alleviate suffering of the Syrian people, hosting some 3.5 million refugees, more than any other country in the world. But let us face it: we have exceeded long ago the limits of our capacity," he said.Last week, the UN warned an offensive on Idlib would likely lead to the “worst humanitarian catastrophe of the 21st century.”UN voices concern over escalating tension in NW SyriaIran seeks to avert disaster in Syria's Idlib: Iranian senior official
Turkey's UN envoy demands immediate cease-fire in Idlib