Russia: Incidents support hypothesis of terrorists using chemical weapons in Syria

Moscow – Mikhail Ulyanov, Director of the Russian Foreign Ministry’s Department for Non-Proliferation and Arms Control, said that Moscow has observed more than once incident that support the hypothesis of use of chemical weapons by ISIS and other terrorist organizations in Syria.

Commenting on recent statements made by the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), Ulyanov said that such incidents include two in 2013; the attack on Khan al-Assal in Aleppo and the incident that took place in the Eastern Ghouta.

 He said that reports of Syrians having been exposed to sarin gas or a toxic substance similar to it require investigation, but Moscow believes there’s a very big likelihood that armed groups are responsible for these incidents, noting that there is much evidence showing that terrorists used chemical weapons.

Ulyanov also pointed out that the Syrian government has sent dozens of reports regarding this issue to the Security Council and the OPCW, adding that a Turkish MP has recently pointed out facts that suggest terrorists in Syria may have procured sarin gas from Turkey, and that these facts merit investigation.