UN Confirms Reports of ‘Large Scale’ Chemical Weapons Use
Published at(NEW YORK) — The United Nations report on last month’s apparent chemical weapons attack in Syria determined that “chemicals weapons were used on a relatively large scale,” resulting in “numerous casualties, particularly among civilians.”
UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon said on Monday that “the facts speak for themselves.”
The report avoided placing blame on either the regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad or the opposition forces.
Nearly all of the samples taken earlier this month by UN inspectors tested positive for sarin gas, the report says.
More than 50 survivors, medical personnel and first responders were interviewed as part of the investigation. Biomedical samples, including hair, urine and blood were collected. In addition, they collected about 30 soil and environmental samples from the impact sites.
The head of the inspection team, Professor Åke Sellström, said that the sarin found in at least one of the impact sites was of a higher quality than that used by Saddam Hussein in his chemical weapons program.
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