ThelatestreportbyanindependentinvestigativepanelofexpertsconfirmsthattheAssadregimeisresponsibleforathirdchemicalweaponsattackontheSyrianpeople.
InitsOctober2016report,theOrganizationfortheProhibitionofChemicalWeapons-UnitedNationsJointInvestigativeMechanism,orJIM,concludedtheSyrianArabArmedForcesusedweaponizedchlorineinthetownofQmenasin2015.ThislatestfindingfollowedanAugust2016reportwheretheJIMconcludedthatSyrianArabArmedForcesusedhelicopterstodropbarrelbombsfilledwithchlorinegasonthecivilianpopulationofSarminin2015,andhadattackedthetownofTalmenesinasimilarwayin2014.ThatreportadditionallyfoundthatDa'eshusedmustardgasinanattackin2015inMarea.TheLeadershipPaneloftheJIMreaffirmeditsbeliefthatitisabsolutelycriticaltoholdthosewhouseorintendtousechemicalsasweaponsaccountablefortheiracts.
StateDepartmentDeputySpokespersonMarkTonernotedthat“theJIM'sinvestigationcorroboratedwhatwehaveknownforyears:theAssadregimehassystematicallyandrepeatedlyusedchemicalweaponsagainstitsownpeople.”
Inastatement,U.S.NationalSecurityCouncilSpokespersonNedPricecondemned“inthestrongestpossibletermstheAssadregime'sdefianceofthelongstandingglobalnormagainstchemicalweaponsuse.”
“TheUnitedStates,”hesaid,“continuestoworkwithourinternationalpartnerstoenforceaccountabilitythroughappropriatediplomaticmechanisms,includingthroughtheUnitedNationsSecurityCouncilandtheOPCW(theOrganizationfortheProhibitionofChemicalWeapons).”
OnOctober31st,theU.N.SecurityCouncilunanimouslyextended,throughresolution2314,themandateoftheJointInvestigativeMechanismuntilNovember18,2016inordertoallowadditionaltimefortheSecurityCounciltoreachagreementonayear-longrenewaloftheJIM.ThisrenewalwouldallowtheJIMtocontinuetoprobeintothedocumenteduseofchemicalweaponsinSyria.U.S.DeputyPermanentRepresentativetotheUNAmbassadorMicheleSisonwelcomedtheSecurityCouncil'sadoptionofresolution2314,notingthattheSecurityCouncil“mustcondemnandholdresponsiblewhoeverisinvolvedinthesechemicalweaponsattacks.AndtheJIMisakeytooltohelpusdothat.”
NationalSecurityCouncilSpokespersonPricesaid,“Wemustsendastrongsignalthattheuseofweaponsofmassdestructionswillnotbetoleratedbytheinternationalcommunity.”
