OPCW: Chlorine gas used as weapon in Syria

BRUSSELS, Sept 10 (KUNA) -- The fact-finding mission (FFM) appointed by OPCW Director General Ahmet Uzumcu to examine alleged uses of chlorine gas as a weapon in Syria announced Wednesday that "compelling confirmation" was found that a toxic chemical was used "systematically and repeatedly" as a weapon in villages in northern Syria earlier this year.
In its second report that includes key findings, the mission stated that "the descriptions, physical properties, behaviour of the gas, and signs and symptoms resulting from exposure, as well as the response of patients to the treatment, lead the FFM to conclude with a high degree of confidence that chlorine, either pure or in mixture, is the toxic chemical in question," noted an OPCW (Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons) press released at the Hague.
The report said chlorine was used in attacks on the villages of Talmanes, Al-Tamanah and Kafr Zeta, all located in northern Syria.
In May this year, the FFM had attempted to visit Kafr Zeta to gather on-site evidence in the aftermath of an alleged use there, but was prevented from doing so when the convoy was attacked.
The mission then decided to carry out witness interviews in a safe location outside of Syria.
Its report presented the key findings from dozens of interviews with victims, physicians, first responders and eyewitnesses to the attacks, together with a considerable amount of documentation such as video, medical records and other evidence collected since the publication of its first report mid-June.
Following the establishment of the mission in late April 2014, there was a marked reduction in reported chlorine attacks in the months of May, June and July. But there was a spate of new allegations in August, noted the press release. (end) nk.hb