Terrorists Using Internationally Banned Chemical Weapons: Foreign Ministry

DAMASCUS- Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates affirmed on Monday that armed terrorist organizations, including those which are named by Washington as “moderate terrorist organizations”, have perpetrated a new crime in Aleppo by using internationally- banned chemical weapons, adding that the unjust campaign launched by western countries against Syria should be directed to the terrorist organizations, according to SANA.

 “The terrorist organizations have exploited the pause duration through using chemical materials on October 30th when they launched shells of chlorine gas on 1070 apartments region and the residential neighborhood of Hamadaniyah in Aleppo, causing 48 sufocation cases among civilians and military men,” the Foreign Ministry said in two letters sent to UN Secretary General and President of Security Council.

It added that the government of Syrian Arab Republic puts those facts in front of the international community, affirming that the number of Grad shells launched by terrorist organizations from eastern Aleppo on the western side of the city exceeded 50 in addition to 30 gas cylinders during the last three days, claiming the lives of 84 citizens, most of them children and women, injuring 280 others in addition to causing huge material damages.

“The government of Syrian Arab republic has formed an inquiry team to investigate into the crime of launching the poisonous gases according to international standards,” the letters said.

The Ministry added that the western countries have defended crimes of ISIS, Jabhat al-Nusra and their use of chemical weapons, and instead of accusing the terrorist organizations, particularly Jabhat al-Nusra and other terrorist organizations which are named by those countries as “moderate terrorists”, they accuse the wrong side and distance the responsibility for those crimes from the terrorist groups.

“Syria, while condemns the use of chemical weapons by any side, affirms that the unjust campaign launched by western countries against Syria should be directed to the terrorist organizations,” the Foreign Ministry said.

It added that, in that regard, Syria has presented accurate information about the states involved in delivering the poisonous materials to the terrorist organizations, including, in a particular way, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Turkey, let alone, the hidden role played by western states which provide those organizations with poisonous materials and fatal weapons.

The Foreign Ministry concluded by saying that the government of Syrian Arab republic reiterates its appeal to the international community to exert pressure on the states which support terrorism to stop this support and stop supplying terrorists with poisonous materials and weapons which aim to nothing, but to prolong the span of the crisis in Syria.