Switzerland demands justice for the Syrian chemical attack
Switzerland says it is crucial to find out who was behind a chlorine gas attack on civilians in the Syrian city of Douma in 2018.
This content was published on January 27, 2023 – 19:06
swissinfo.ch/mga
A report by the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) says the Syrian Air Force is likely responsible for the attack, which killed 43 and wounded many more.
Two bottles of chlorine gas are believed to have been dropped from a helicopter on a residential area of the city, which is 10 kilometers from the Syrian capital Damascus.
“Switzerland strongly condemns the use of chemical weapons and calls on all parties to the conflict in Syria to refrain from using chemical weapons and to comply with the obligations of international humanitarian law,” the Swiss government said on Friday.
“Those responsible for crimes against international law in Syria must be held accountable.”
Switzerland said it would use its seat on the UN Security Council to strengthen the International Criminal Court to “curb the rampant climate of impunity for the most serious crimes and ensure the protection of civilians and other victims of war.”
Switzerland’s first action in the Security Council was to support a successful resolution to expand humanitarian aid in Syria.
The Alpine state occupied a historic first seat on the Security Council earlier this year.
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