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| U.N. Confirms Repeated Chemical Arms Use in Syria | U.N. Confirms Repeated Chemical Arms Use in Syria |
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| UNITED NATIONS — Chemical weapons were used repeatedly in the Syria conflict this year, not only in a well-documented Aug. 21 attack near Damascus but also in four other instances, including two subsequent attacks that targeted government soldiers, United Nations experts concluded in a report released Thursday. | UNITED NATIONS — Chemical weapons were used repeatedly in the Syria conflict this year, not only in a well-documented Aug. 21 attack near Damascus but also in four other instances, including two subsequent attacks that targeted government soldiers, United Nations experts concluded in a report released Thursday. |
| The report, prepared by chemical weapons specialists and doctors who traveled to Syria to conduct interviews and collect samples amid active fighting, is the most detailed and comprehensive independent assessment of facts and allegations surrounding the use of chemical weapons in the conflict. | The report, prepared by chemical weapons specialists and doctors who traveled to Syria to conduct interviews and collect samples amid active fighting, is the most detailed and comprehensive independent assessment of facts and allegations surrounding the use of chemical weapons in the conflict. |
| It was the first time the United Nations asserted as fact that chemical weapons had been used on multiple occasions in the fighting between the forces of President Bashar al-Assad and the insurgents seeking to topple him, including chemical weapons use after world outrage over the Aug. 21 attack, which killed hundreds of civilians including children. | It was the first time the United Nations asserted as fact that chemical weapons had been used on multiple occasions in the fighting between the forces of President Bashar al-Assad and the insurgents seeking to topple him, including chemical weapons use after world outrage over the Aug. 21 attack, which killed hundreds of civilians including children. |
| A preliminary version of the report, which was released on Sept. 16 and focused only on the Aug. 21 attack near Damascus, played a role in developments that ultimately led to an agreement in which the Syrian government pledged to destroy all of its chemical munitions. | |
| The destruction process, which the United Nations is helping to oversee, has been proceeding for two months and so far is considered a conspicuous success in what is an increasingly grim conflict that has claimed more than 100,000 lives and left millions displaced. | The destruction process, which the United Nations is helping to oversee, has been proceeding for two months and so far is considered a conspicuous success in what is an increasingly grim conflict that has claimed more than 100,000 lives and left millions displaced. |
| “The United Nations Mission concludes that chemical weapons have been used in the ongoing conflict between the parties in the Syrian Arab Republic,” the final United Nations report stated in its conclusions. | “The United Nations Mission concludes that chemical weapons have been used in the ongoing conflict between the parties in the Syrian Arab Republic,” the final United Nations report stated in its conclusions. |
| Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, who had ordered the chemical weapons report, received the final version on Thursday and made it public a few hours later. | Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, who had ordered the chemical weapons report, received the final version on Thursday and made it public a few hours later. |
| The authors, members of a panel led by the Swedish scientist Ake Sellstrom, studiously avoided saying who was responsible in any of the attacks, saying it was their mandate only to ascertain whether they had taken place. | The authors, members of a panel led by the Swedish scientist Ake Sellstrom, studiously avoided saying who was responsible in any of the attacks, saying it was their mandate only to ascertain whether they had taken place. |
| In the preliminary report on the Aug. 21 attack, forensic findings implicated the government forces of President Assad by documenting the shape of the munitions and the precise direction from which two of them had been fired. But in the other six attacks investigated by the panel in the final report, it is much less clear who was responsible. | In the preliminary report on the Aug. 21 attack, forensic findings implicated the government forces of President Assad by documenting the shape of the munitions and the precise direction from which two of them had been fired. But in the other six attacks investigated by the panel in the final report, it is much less clear who was responsible. |
| In some of the investigated incidents, the panel said it could not establish a link between the actual attack and the victims, either because they could not travel to the site or because they could not directly collect chemical or medical samples. | In some of the investigated incidents, the panel said it could not establish a link between the actual attack and the victims, either because they could not travel to the site or because they could not directly collect chemical or medical samples. |
| The report said the panel had corroborated “credible allegations” that chemical weapons had been used in the first reported attack — a March 19 episode involving soldiers and civilians in Khan al-Assal in the country’s north. The investigators could not travel to that site, though. “The release of chemical weapons at the alleged site could not be independently verified in the absence of primary information on delivery systems and of environmental and biomedical samples collected and analyzed under the chain of custody,” the report said. | The report said the panel had corroborated “credible allegations” that chemical weapons had been used in the first reported attack — a March 19 episode involving soldiers and civilians in Khan al-Assal in the country’s north. The investigators could not travel to that site, though. “The release of chemical weapons at the alleged site could not be independently verified in the absence of primary information on delivery systems and of environmental and biomedical samples collected and analyzed under the chain of custody,” the report said. |
| United Nations officials had been locked in an argument with the Syrian government for months over access to that site. It became inaccessible later because of heavy fighting. The United Nations disarmament chief, Angela Kane, said in an interview this fall that the failure to investigate that first chemical attack had haunted her. | United Nations officials had been locked in an argument with the Syrian government for months over access to that site. It became inaccessible later because of heavy fighting. The United Nations disarmament chief, Angela Kane, said in an interview this fall that the failure to investigate that first chemical attack had haunted her. |
| Each side in the conflict accused the other in that attack. The Syrian government pressed the United Nations to investigate that site alone, but the United Nations insisted on investigating other sites as well, which Syria refused. It led to an impasse. In the following months, the Khan al-Assal area was seized by insurgents associated with Al Qaeda. It became impossible for weapons inspectors to travel there. | Each side in the conflict accused the other in that attack. The Syrian government pressed the United Nations to investigate that site alone, but the United Nations insisted on investigating other sites as well, which Syria refused. It led to an impasse. In the following months, the Khan al-Assal area was seized by insurgents associated with Al Qaeda. It became impossible for weapons inspectors to travel there. |
| And so, the panel of experts said, they interviewed medical staff and military personnel involved in the rescue operations at Khan al-Assal. They described “rapidly onsetting mass intoxication by an organophosphorous compound” that morning. The report said: “None of the parties in the Syrian Arab Republic denied the use of chemical weapons” in Khan al-Assal. | |
| Syria also insisted that chemical weapons had been used against its soldiers after the Aug. 21 attack. The report said there was evidence supporting “the probable use of chemical weapons” in two episodes in the Damascus area — in Jobar on Aug. 24 and Ashrafiah Sahnaya on Aug. 25. In both cases, the report said, chemical weapons may have been used on “a relatively small scale against soldiers.” | Syria also insisted that chemical weapons had been used against its soldiers after the Aug. 21 attack. The report said there was evidence supporting “the probable use of chemical weapons” in two episodes in the Damascus area — in Jobar on Aug. 24 and Ashrafiah Sahnaya on Aug. 25. In both cases, the report said, chemical weapons may have been used on “a relatively small scale against soldiers.” |
| The report also concluded that chemical weapons had been used in the northwest town of Saraqeb on April 29, based on evidence that included interviews with medical clinicians, medical records and organ samples of a deceased victim. | The report also concluded that chemical weapons had been used in the northwest town of Saraqeb on April 29, based on evidence that included interviews with medical clinicians, medical records and organ samples of a deceased victim. |