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Assad regime used chlorine as a chemical weapon, says US | Assad regime used chlorine as a chemical weapon, says US |
(32 minutes later) | |
The United States has concluded that the government of Bashar al-Assad used chlorine as a chemical weapon in May, marking the first confirmed violation of the ban on chemical weapons since Donald Trump authorized airstrikes in 2018 over Syria’s use of poison gas. | |
“The Assad regime is responsible for innumerable atrocities some of which rise to the level of war crimes and crimes against humanity,” the US secretary of state, Mike Pompeo, told a news conference in New York, where he has been attending the UN general assembly. | “The Assad regime is responsible for innumerable atrocities some of which rise to the level of war crimes and crimes against humanity,” the US secretary of state, Mike Pompeo, told a news conference in New York, where he has been attending the UN general assembly. |
“Today I am announcing that the United States has concluded that the Assad regime used chlorine as a chemical weapon on 19 May,” Pompeo said. | “Today I am announcing that the United States has concluded that the Assad regime used chlorine as a chemical weapon on 19 May,” Pompeo said. |
US investigating possible Assad chemical attack in Syria | US investigating possible Assad chemical attack in Syria |
The US said in May it had received numerous reports that appeared consistent with chemical exposure after an attack by Syrian government forces on Idlib province in north-west Syria, but it had made no definitive conclusion as to whether they used chemical weapons. | The US said in May it had received numerous reports that appeared consistent with chemical exposure after an attack by Syrian government forces on Idlib province in north-west Syria, but it had made no definitive conclusion as to whether they used chemical weapons. |
The Trump administration has twice bombed Syria over Assad’s suspected use of chemical weapons, in April 2017 and April 2018. | The Trump administration has twice bombed Syria over Assad’s suspected use of chemical weapons, in April 2017 and April 2018. |
The US, Britain and France launched airstrikes in April 2018 against what they described as three Syrian chemical weapons targets in retaliation for a suspected gas attack that killed scores of people in a Damascus suburb earlier that month. | The US, Britain and France launched airstrikes in April 2018 against what they described as three Syrian chemical weapons targets in retaliation for a suspected gas attack that killed scores of people in a Damascus suburb earlier that month. |
Assad launched an offensive at the end of April this year on Idlib and parts of adjacent provinces, saying insurgents had broken a truce. | Assad launched an offensive at the end of April this year on Idlib and parts of adjacent provinces, saying insurgents had broken a truce. |
“This is different in some sense because it was chlorine … but know that President Trump has been pretty vigorous in protecting the world from the use of chemical weapons,” Pompeo said, declining to say what the US response could be. | “This is different in some sense because it was chlorine … but know that President Trump has been pretty vigorous in protecting the world from the use of chemical weapons,” Pompeo said, declining to say what the US response could be. |
Pompeo said Washington had also added sanctions on two Russian entities for providing fuel to the Syrian government. Russia supports Assad in the more than eight-year-long Syrian war. | Pompeo said Washington had also added sanctions on two Russian entities for providing fuel to the Syrian government. Russia supports Assad in the more than eight-year-long Syrian war. |
Syria | Syria |
Bashar al-Assad | Bashar al-Assad |
Chemical weapons | Chemical weapons |
Mike Pompeo | Mike Pompeo |
Middle East and North Africa | Middle East and North Africa |
news | news |
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