On the eighth anniversary of the chemical attack, the United States calls for punishing the Assad regime
The United States announced that it strongly supports efforts to ensure accountability for the many atrocities committed by the Assad regime against the Syrian people, including the use of chemical weapons.
The US State Department said in a statement issued yesterday, Saturday, on the occasion of the eighth anniversary of the chemical attack on Eastern Ghouta, that it called for punishing the Assad regime for the multiple atrocities it has committed against its people, many of which rise to the level of war crimes and crimes against humanity.
The United States condemns in the strongest possible terms the use of chemical weapons anywhere, by anyone, under any circumstances, and we reiterate our resolve to ensure that there is no impunity for those who use these weapons.
The US State Department stressed its support for efforts to implement a political settlement of the Syrian crisis in accordance with UN Security Council Resolution 2254.
Last February, US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken pledged to hold the Assad regime accountable for the use of chemical weapons against civilians with the support of Russia.
The Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (UNPCW) and the United Nations destroyed 1,300 tons of chemicals in the possession of the Assad regime on June 17, 2015, but the attacks with these weapons did not stop.
Washington has estimated that the Assad regime has used chemical weapons against the Syrian people at least 50 times since 2011, again calling on Damascus to declare and completely destroy its chemical weapons program in accordance with its international obligations.
