US "strongly condemns" Syrian regime's use of chemical weapons

WASHINGTON, Oct 23 (KUNA) -- The US on Saturday strongly condemned the Syrian regime's use of chemical weapons in a third incident based on an international investigation.
The one-year investigation's findings were announced in a joint report conducted by the UN and the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW).
"The Syrian regime has violated the Chemical Weapons Convention and UN Security Council Resolution 2118 by using industrial chlorine as a weapon against its own people," read a White House statement.
The investigation "determined that the Syrian regime used industrial chlorine as a weapon against its own people" for a third time after an earlier report revealed two instances in 2014 and 2015.
It also "provides details about which regime elements are responsible" and calls for accountability for those involved in the attacks.
The US will continue to work with the international community to enforce accountability through the Security Council and the OPCW, added the statement.
It also called on Russia and Iran to "unequivocally support" these efforts.
Russian military and economic support to Syria, it said, enables the Syrian regime to "continue its military campaign against its own people, which it has done in violation of international law as demonstrated by the findings of this report." The international community "must send a strong signal that the use of weapons of mass destruction will not be tolerated." (end) sd.tg