EU condemns use of chemical weapons by Syrian air force

BRUSSELS, April 9 (KUNA) -- The European Union Thursday "strongly condemned" the use of chemical weapons by the Syrian Arab Air Force as concluded in a report by Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW).
"Those identified responsible for the use of chemical weapons must be held accountable for these reprehensible acts," said EU High Representative Josep Borrell in a Declaration on behalf of the 27-membe bloc.
He welcomed the release of the first report of the Investigation and Identification Team of the OPCW on Wednesday and expressed the EU's full support of the report's findings and noted with great concern its conclusions.
"The use of chemical weapons by anyone - be it a State or a non-State actor - anywhere, at any time and under any circumstances is a violation of international law and can amount to the most serious of international crimes - war crimes and crimes against humanity," said the EU statement.
The OPCW report said that the Syrian air force thrice dropped chemical weapons on civilian targets in Ltamenah, Syria in March 2017. (end) nk.bs