LOC20:27
17:27 GMT
WASHINGTON, Oct 28 (KUNA) -- The Obama Administration Friday sent a stern warning to the Syrian regime and its allies that "the use of chemical weapons will not be tolerated," but no specific course of action by the US was announced.
The comments from State Department Spokesperson Mark Toner follow the release of the fourth UN Joint Investigative Mechanism (JIM) report into chemical weapon attacks in Syria, which squarely blames President Bashar Al-Assad's forces for using toxic gas for a third time on a civilian population.
The latest incident was in Qmenas in 2015, the report said.
"The three incidents in which the JIM determined the Assad regime used chemical weapons all share the same terrifying signature-the use of helicopters to drop barrel bombs, filled with toxic chemicals, on civilian populations hundreds of feet below," Toner said.
One out of the four JIM reports has also blamed the so-called Islamic State (IS) for using toxic gas.
"All those confirmed to have been involved in the use of chemical weapons in Syria must be held accountable," Toner added.
"To date, however, a handful of countries continue to shield the Assad regime from the consequences of its own actions, even as evidence mounts of its confirmed use of chemical weapons," he noted, referring to Russian criticism of the report at UN.
"The time is now for Syria's regime to face real consequences for its actions," Toner affirmed. "Inaction is simply not an option."
In 2013, when the Assad regime carried out its first known chemical weapons attack on civilians, US President Barack Obama made his now infamous "red line" statement and threatened air strikes, but no direct US action was taken.
Instead, a deal was forged with Russia to transport chemical weapons stockpiles outside Syria. (end)
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