Syrian Government is accused of using chemical weapons

According to a statement by Human Rights Watch (HRW) issued this Tuesday in Beirut, on last April the Syrian military bombed three cities in Syria with barrels of chlorine. “The evidence suggests quite clearly that the Syrian government helicopters dropped barrels of chlorine against cities of northern Syria in mid-April,” said the NGO.

Doctors who treated the victims reported that at least 11 people died in the attacks and that about 500 people had “symptoms related to chlorine exposure,” explained HRW in its statement.

The attacks took place in Kafr Zita province of Hama on April 11 and 18, in Al Temana in the province of Idleb on April 13 and 18, and in Telmans (Idleb) on April 21. These three cities are controlled by the rebels.

“The apparent use of this substance as a weapon -not to mention the fact that targets civilians- is a flagrant violation of international law,” said Nadim Houry, deputy director of HRW for Middle East and North Africa. “It’s one more reason for the Security Council of the UN to take the Syrian case to the International Criminal Court,” he added.

Doctors who treated the victims reported about 500 people with “symptoms related to chlorine exposure.”