Syrian government to blame for April sarin attack: U.N. report

By Rodrigo Campos

UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) – The Syrian government of Bashar al-Assad is to blame for a chemical attack on the opposition-held town of Khan Sheikhoun that killed dozens last April according to a report sent to the United Nations Security Council on Thursday.

“The Syrian Arab Republic is responsible for the release of sarin at Khan Sheikhoun on 4 April 2017,” the report from the U.N. and the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons’ Joint Investigative Mechanism (JIM) said.

The attack prompted a U.S. missile strike against a Syrian air base which Washington said was used to launch the strike.

The report also said ISIS was to blame for the use of sulfur mustard in the Syrian town of Umm Hawsh on Sept. 15 and 16, 2016.

The JIM was unanimously created by the 15-member U.N. Security Council in 2015 and renewed in 2016 for another year. Its mandate is due to expire in mid-November and Russia on Tuesday vetoed a proposal to further extend its mandate.

Russian ambassador to the U.N. Vassily Nebenzia said earlier this week Russia would consider revisiting the mandate extension after Thursday’s report is discussed.

The JIM has already found Syrian government forces were responsible for three chlorine gas attacks in 2014 and 2015.

Syria agreed to destroy its chemical weapons in 2013 under a deal brokered by Russia and the United States. The Syrian government has repeatedly denied using chemical weapons during the country’s more than six-year civil war.

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