Alleged chemical attacks in Syria - ?Clear and convincing? evidence of chemical weapons use in Syria, UN team reports

[Emily]

http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/...92I0A220130319

Alleged chemical attack kills 25 in northern Syria


By Oliver Holmes and Erika Solomon

BEIRUT | Tue Mar 19, 2013 2:46pm EDT

(Reuters)
[snip]
BREATHING PROBLEMS

A Reuters photographer said victims he had visited in Aleppo hospitals were suffering breathing problems and that people had said they could smell chlorine after the attack.

"I saw mostly women and children," said the photographer, who cannot be named for his own safety.

He quoted victims at the University of Aleppo hospital and the al-Rajaa hospital as saying people were dying in the streets and in their houses.
[snip]
Information Minister Omran al-Zoabi said rebels fired "a rocket containing poison gases" at the town of Khan al-Assal, southwest of Aleppo, from the city's southeastern district of Nairab, part of which is rebel-held.

"The substance in the rocket causes unconsciousness, then convulsions, then death," the minister said.

But a senior rebel commander, Qassim Saadeddine, who is also a spokesman for the Higher Military Council in Aleppo, denied this, blaming Assad's forces for the alleged chemical strike.

"We were hearing reports from early this morning about a regime attack on Khan al-Assal, and we believe they fired a Scud with chemical agents," he told Reuters by telephone from Aleppo...

Whatever happened, it was a regime-controlled area that was hit:

"The missile, maybe a Scud, hit a regime area, praise God, and I'm sure that it was an accident. My brigade certainly does not have that (chemical) capability and we've been talking to many units in the area, they all deny it."

[Pathfinder]

Re: Alleged chemical attack kills 25 in northern Syria

WHO sending supplies to Aleppo, can't confirm chemical use

GENEVA | Tue Mar 19, 2013 7:01pm EDT

(Reuters) - The World Health Organization (WHO) said on Tuesday that it would send medical supplies to the Syrian city of Aleppo on Wednesday, but could not verify if chemical weapons or some other toxin had been used there.

"At this stage we cannot confirm the use of chemical weapons, nor what agent, if any, was used," WHO spokesman Tarik Jasarevic told Reuters in Geneva.
...
A number of patients are seeking medical care in the public hospital in Aleppo, however total casualty figures for wounded and killed could not be verified, Jasarevic said.
...

http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/03/19/us-syria-crisis-chemicals-who-idUSBRE92I19F20130319

[sharon sanders]

Re: Alleged chemical attack kills 25 in northern Syria

WHO sending supplies to Aleppo, can't confirm chemical use

GENEVA | Tue Mar 19, 2013 7:01pm EDT

(Reuters) - The World Health Organization (WHO) said on Tuesday that it would send medical supplies to the Syrian city of Aleppo on Wednesday, but could not verify if chemical weapons or some other toxin had been used there.

"At this stage we cannot confirm the use of chemical weapons, nor what agent, if any, was used," WHO spokesman Tarik Jasarevic told Reuters in Geneva.
...
A number of patients are seeking medical care in the public hospital in Aleppo, however total casualty figures for wounded and killed could not be verified, Jasarevic said.
...
http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/...92I19F20130319

Thanks Pathfinder.

Evidently Reuters does not have this story 100% correct.

WHO does not have any staff in Aleppo and is not visiting health facilities there.

WHO is sending trauma kits tomorrow.

In addition, the WHO Guidance documents were written in 2004 - not as a response to this alleged situation: http://www.who.int/csr/delibepidemics/biochemguide/en/

Source: https://twitter.com/HaertlG

[Pathfinder]

Re: Alleged chemical attack kills 25 in northern Syria

UN chief announces independent probe into allegations of chemical attack in Syria

21 March 2013 ? Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon today said that the United Nations will launch an independent investigation into allegations of the possible use of chemical weapons in Syria, after receiving a formal request from the country?s Government.

?The investigation mission is to look into the specific incident brought to my attention by the Syrian Government,? the Secretary-General told journalists in New York this morning.

?I am, of course, aware that there are other allegations of similar cases involving the reported use of chemical weapons,? he added.

Mr. Ban said the investigation will start ?as soon as practically possible.?

He said his senior advisers are working on the modalities in close consultation with the relevant bodies, including the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) and the World Health Organization (WHO).

Detailed issues such as overall mandate, mission composition, and operational conditions, including safety and security, would be considered in those discussions, he said.

?In discharging its mandate of an investigation mission, full cooperation from all parties will be essential,? Mr. Ban said, stressing that ?this includes unfettered access.?

The UN received a formal request from Syrian authorities yesterday for a ?specialized, impartial and independent mission? to investigate the alleged use of chemical weapons.

Speaking to reporters at UN Headquarters yesterday afternoon, Syrian Ambassador Bashar Ja?afari said that he wanted a probe to look into the use of those weapons by ?armed terrorist groups? in an attack on the village of Khan al-Assal on the outskirts of Aleppo on 19 March.

If requested by a Member State, Mr. Ban said he has a mandate to consider conducting an investigation on alleged uses of chemical, biological and toxin weapons pursuant to General Assembly resolution 42/37 C of 1987 and reaffirm by Security Council resolution 620 of 1988.

?My announcement should serve as an unequivocal reminder that the use of chemical weapons is a crime against humanity,? Mr. Ban reiterated in his press encounter.

He also repeated that a political solution is needed in Syria, and called on the regional and international community to find unity and support the efforts of his Joint Special Representative, Lakhdar Brahimi.Since the uprising against President al-Assad began in March 2011, more than 70,000 people, mostly civilians, have been killed and more than three million displaced. In addition, some 1.1 million people have taken refuge in neighbouring countries.

http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.as...0&Cr=syria&Cr1=

[Pathfinder]

Re: Alleged chemical attack kills 25 in northern Syria

France -

Syria/chemical weapons – Statement by M. Laurent Fabius, Minister of Foreign Affairs (04.06.13)

This morning I had a meeting, on my initiative, with Professor Åke Sellström, head of the investigation mission set up by the United Nations Secretary-General and tasked with establishing the facts about the alleged use of chemical weapons in Syria.

On France’s behalf, I handed him the results of the analyses carried out by our laboratory, chosen by the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons to identify military toxins.

These analyses demonstrate the presence of sarin gas in the samples in our possession. In view of this evidence, France is now certain that sarin gas has been used in Syria several times and in a localized manner.

We decided to inform the relevant UN mission of the evidence in our possession, immediately and publicly. It would be intolerable for those guilty of these crimes to enjoy impunity.

Syria - Chemical weapons(Q&A - Excerpt from the daily press briefing - June 5, 2013)

Following Laurent Fabius’s statement on the use of sarin gas in Syria, what does France expect of its partners? How do you explain Washington’s wait-and-see policy?

We’ve provided evidence of the use of sarin gas in Syria to the commission of inquiry tasked by the UN Secretary-General with shedding full light on these atrocities.

It is now urgent and essential that the Damascus regime grant the members of this commission of inquiry free access to the entire Syrian territory so that the whole truth behind these atrocities can be uncovered.

We will draw all the conclusions in cooperation with our partners, with whom we are in continuous contact. All options are on the table.

http://www.diplomatie.gouv.fr/en/country-files/syria-295/events-5888/article/syria-chemical-weapons-statement

[Pathfinder]

Re: Alleged chemical attack kills 25 in northern Syria

Syria: UN chief ?shocked? by new allegations of chemical weapons use

21 August 2013 ? Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon expressed his shock at reports of alleged use today of chemical weapons in Syria?s Damascus suburbs, as a United Nations team continues to investigate the matter in others parts of the war-torn country.

The team ?is following the current situation in Syria carefully, and remains fully engaged in the investigation process that is mandated by the Secretary General,? Mr. Ban?s spokesperson told journalists in New York.

The UN team is spending up to 14 days, with a possible extension, probing the alleged use of chemical weapons by the Government of Syria at Khan al-Asal, as well as two other allegations reported by Member States.
According to the agreement reached in Damascus in July, the two parties are discussing, in parallel, other allegations and their related sites.

?Professor [?ke] Sellstr?m is in discussions with the Syrian Government on all issues pertaining to the alleged use of chemical weapons, including this most recent reported incident,? the spokesperson noted.

He added that Mr. Ban is aware that a number of Member States, the Arab League and the European Union have expressed grave concern about the most recent reports of the possible use of chemical weapons.

Mr. Ban reiterated that the use of chemical weapons by any side under any circumstances would violate international law, and reaffirmed the need for a ?thorough investigation? of the alleged incidents, according to the spokesperson.

The 15-member Security Council is due to discuss Syria later today in a closed meeting in New York.

Meanwhile, in Cairo, Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs Jeffrey Feltman met with Arab League Secretary-General Nabil Elaraby today to discuss a range of issues, including efforts towards a political solution to the conflict in Syria. The Joint Special Representative for Syria, Lakhdar Brahimi, who reports to both organizations, has been supporting efforts on a political solution including a second international conference on Syria to be held in Geneva.

http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=45668

[Pathfinder]

Re: Alleged chemical attack kills 25 in northern Syria - new allegations of chemical weapons use

Use of chemical weapons in Syria would be ?crime against humanity? ? Ban

23 August 2013 ? The use of any chemical weapons in Syria would amount to a ?crime against humanity? and there would be ?serious consequences? for the perpetrators,Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said today, while urging an immediate investigation on this matter.

?Any use of chemical weapons anywhere, by anybody, under any circumstances, would violate international law,? Mr. Ban said ahead of a meeting in Seoul, Republic of Korea (ROK) on the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

?Such a crime against humanity should result in serious consequences for the perpetrator. Once again, I call for an immediate investigation of this latest incident.?

A UN team is currently in Syria spending up to 14 days, with a possible extension, probing the alleged use of chemical weapons by the Government at Khan al-Asal, as well as two other allegations reported by Member States.

Yesterday, Mr. Ban called on the Syrian Government to extend its full cooperation so that the team, led by Swedish scientist ?ke Sellstr?m, can swiftly investigate the incident, which occurred on the morning of 21 August. Mr. Ban has also instructed the High Representative for Disarmament Affairs, Angela Kane, to travel to Damascus.

?I can think of no good reason why any party ? either Government or opposition forces ? would decline this opportunity to get to the truth of the matter,? Mr. Ban said.

Since fighting began in March 2011 between the Syrian Government and opposition groups seeking to oust President Bashar Al-Assad as many as 100,000 people have been killed, almost 2 million have fled to neighbouring countries and a further 4 million have been internally displaced. In addition, at least 6.8 million Syrian require urgent humanitarian assistance, half of whom are children.

Mr. Ban stressed that ?there is no time to waste? given the alarming humanitarian situation, and repeated his call to all parties to come to the negotiating table.

?The time has clearly come for the parties to stop shooting, and start talking. I am determined to do everything I can to assist the victims and move towards a political solution. That is the only way this crisis will be resolved.?

He added that while a political situation emerges, UN agencies would continue to provide assistance to millions of people inside and outside Syria who are in urgent need.

?Our challenge remains: achieving a complete cessation of hostilities, delivering humanitarian assistance and getting the Government and the opposition to the negotiating table in Geneva as soon as possible,? he said.

Meanwhile, the Joint Special Representative of the UN and League of Arab States for Syria Lakhdar Brahimi said planning for the so-called ?Geneva II? conference is still underway, with the conference tentatively taking place in September.

In June, discussions about the international meeting were held in Geneva with participation from senior United States, Russian and UN officials, led by Mr. Brahimi.

The goal of the conference would to be to achieve a political solution to the conflict in Syria through a comprehensive agreement between the Government and the opposition for the full implementation of the Geneva communiqu? of 30 June 2012. Issued after a meeting of the Action Group for Syria, the document lays out key steps in a process to end the violence.

In an interview with UNTV, Mr. Brahimi underscored the need to convene the conference, warning that Syria has become ?without any doubt, the biggest threat to peace and security in the world today.?

?What has happened, this story, this allegation, that chemical weapons have been used a few kilometres from the heart of Damascus as a matter of fact emphasizes the importance of this crisis and the danger it represents, not only for the Syrian people, not only for the region, but for the world,? he said.

http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.as...4&Cr=syria&Cr1=

[Giuseppe]

Re: Alleged chemical attack kills 25 in northern Syria - new allegations of chemical weapons use

[Source: Continuing Education in Anaesthesia, Critical Care and Pain, full text: (LINK). Abstract, edited.]


Chemical warfare agents

James Geoghegan, MB ChB FRCA and Jeffrey L Tong, MB ChB FRCA RAMC

Author Affiliations: 1) Specialist Registrar in Anaesthesia, Sandwell and West Birmingham Hospitals NHS Trust, City Hospital Dudley Road, Birmingham B18 7QH, UK; 2) Senior Lecturer in Anaesthesia, Royal Centre for Defence Medicine, University Hospital Birmingham Raddlebarn Road, Selly Oak, Birmingham B29 6JD, UK

Tel: +44 0121 6271627, Fax: +44 0121 6978340, E-mail: jefftong@doctors.org.uk (for correspondence)


Key points

• Chemical personal protective equipment must be worn when in contact with contaminated casualties.
• Recognizing the clinical features of chemical warfare agent poisoning allows supportive treatment and appropriate antidotes to be promptly administered.
• The mnemonic DUMBELS describes the muscarinic features of the nerve agent poisoning toxidrome.
• There are effective antidotes for poisoning with nerve agents, blood agents (metabolic poisons), botulinum toxin and kolokol-1.
• There are no specific antidotes for blistering agents (vesicants) and choking agents.

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[Pathfinder]

Re: Alleged chemical attack kills 25 in northern Syria - new allegations of chemical weapons use

Syria to allow United Nations probe into alleged use of chemical weapons ? UN spokesperson

25 August 2013 ? Following talks with United Nations High Representative for Disarmament Affairs Angela Kane, the Syrian Government has affirmed it will grant access to UN inspectors, beginning tomorrow, to sites in the suburbs of Damascus where chemical weapons were allegedly used last week.

A statement issued this morning by the spokesperson for UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon says that Ms. Kane met in Damascus with high-ranking Syrian officials on 24 and 25 August seeking the Government's cooperation in facilitating a swift investigation of the incident in the Ghouta area on 21 August involving the alleged use of chemical weapons.

?The Secretary-General notes the Government of the Syrian Arab Republic affirmed that it will provide the necessary cooperation, including the observance of the cessation of hostilities at the locations related to the incident,? the statement says.

Mr. Ban has instructed the Mission, led by Swedish scientist Dr. ?ke Sellstr?m, currently in Damascus, to focus its attention on ascertaining the facts of the 21 August incident as its highest priority, the statement says, adding that Dr. Sellstr?m's team is preparing to conduct on-site fact-finding activities, starting tomorrow, Monday, 26 August.

?The Secretary-General remains grateful for the cooperation and dedication of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapon (OPCW) and the World Health Organization (WHO), as well as for the commitment of their staff assigned to the Mission.

The statement says that Mr. Ban reiterates that all relevant parties ?equally share the responsibility of cooperating in urgently generating a safe environment for the Mission to do its job efficiently and providing all necessary information.?

http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.as...9&Cr=Syria&Cr1=

[Pathfinder]

Re: Alleged chemical attack kills 25 in northern Syria - new allegations of chemical weapons use

24 August 2013 Last updated at 18:10 ET

MSF-backed hospitals treated Syria 'chemical victims'

Medecins Sans Frontieres says hospitals it supports in Syria treated about 3,600 patients with "neurotoxic symptoms", of whom 355 have died.

The medical charity said the patients had arrived in three hospitals in the Damascus area on 21 August - when opposition activists say chemical attacks were launched against rebels.

But MSF says it cannot "scientifically confirm" the use of chemical weapons.

Both sides in the conflict accuse each other of using them.

MSF says staff at the hospitals described a large number of patients arriving in the space of less than three hours with symptoms including convulsions, dilated pupils and breathing problems.
...
"MSF can neither scientifically confirm the cause of these symptoms nor establish who is responsible for the attack," said MSF Director of Operations Bart Janssens.

But it added that the symptoms, as well as the "massive influx of patients in a short period of time" strongly suggest mass exposure to a neurotoxic agent.

"This would constitute a violation of international humanitarian law, which absolutely prohibits the use of chemical and biological weapons," MSF said.

More...

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-23827950

[Giuseppe]

Re: Alleged chemical attack kills 25 in northern Syria - new allegations of chemical weapons use

[Source: ProMedMail.org, full page: (LINK). Commentary on neurotoxic agents possibly used as warfare in Syria.]

(...)

[While it appears there may have been use of a nerve agent, it is clearly uncertain as to the type of agent or the responsible party.

Some of the videos and reports are somewhat confusing. Some videos show large dilated pupils, which is inconsistent with a nerve agent poisoning. Nerve agents cause small, pinpoint pupils and the appropriate treatment is atropine. Both articles indicate a deficiency of atropine.

However, if some of the videos showed victims of the chemical agent attack after receiving atropine, then the large, dilated pupils may be seen.

Also, reports of 1st responders being affected are consistent with a nerve agent. Other reports indicating that those in the basements were more severely affected. Some chemical weapons are heavier than air and may well settle into basements or low lying areas.

The location is what is inconsistent with these reports. There are large numbers of women and children affected in this incident. The explosion allegedly happened at about 3:00 AM, when people were sleeping, yet videos show victims fully clothed in street clothes.

Therefore, one has to wonder if this could have been a rebel group moving a newly developed agent when an accidental explosion occurred in a neighborhood.

If this were the doing of Assad forces, then the target of homes and women and children would be more unlikely as it would bring down the wrath of an international community. Or was the explosion from a rocket that was misdirected, or erred off course?

Another alternative may be that terrorists not associated with the rebels or the Assad forces are looking to intensify the civil war, and possibly cause more confusion, leading to an easier takeover by the terrorist group.

Regardless of who claims responsibility or blame, it is a sad situation. Hopefully medical supplies will be replenished, and the culprits identified and prevented from committing such acts again. - Mod.TG

A HealthMap/ProMED-mail map can be accessed at: http://healthmap.org/r/3aLZ.]

(...)


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[Pathfinder]

Re: Alleged chemical attack kills 25 in northern Syria - new allegations of chemical weapons use

Fears in Syria of food and water poisoning after alleged Damascus gas attacks

Damascus ? Reuters
Published Sunday, Aug. 25 2013, 3:31 PM EDT
Last updated Sunday, Aug. 25 2013, 3:31 PM EDT

Days after a suspected poison gas attack killed hundreds of people in crop-growing suburbs, residents of the Syrian capital say they are afraid their food and water supplies may be contaminated.
...
Whoever is to blame, grandmother Hana said her three daughters were now fretting about what to feed their children.

?They keep calling me throughout the day, and they are frantic. They ask: ?Mum, what about the watermelon? Does it absorb the chemicals? What about the milk?? I try to calm them down, but I?m very worried myself. What if it takes years for any effects to show up in the children?? she said.

The poison gas hit the Ghouta area, where acres upon acres of agricultural land supply the capital of three million people with fresh vegetables, meat and dairy.
...
The Syrian authorities have yet to respond with any clarity about whether people need to take special precautions to protect themselves from possible contamination.

It is not yet clear what poison or mixture of poisons were responsible for the killings.

Sarin, which the United States and France believe was used in previous, smaller incidents in Syria, mixes with water. People can be exposed to it by touching or drinking contaminated water, according to the website of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. People can also be exposed by eating contaminated food.
...

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/world/fears-in-syria-of-food-and-water-poisoning-after-damascus-gas-attacks/article13944786/

[Giuseppe]

Re: Alleged chemical attack kills 25 in northern Syria - new allegations of chemical weapons use

Anyway, if the answer of a civil war is a foreign war, with cruise missiles and airstrikes, it is clear that chemical military storage facilities - when burning - will release much more poisonous materials into the air, water and soil than this alleged - but not proven - incident.

This long overdue attack is one among many other reasons of certain fanfare around obscure health incidents in the Middle East region pumped by Media Outlets for months.

The abscess is now ready to explode, I think, with the consequences of a general outburst in the area, in addition to the current unrests in Egypt, Lebanon, Palestine, Yemen, Tunisia... Good Luck! GM

[sharon sanders]

Re: Alleged chemical attack kills 25 in northern Syria - new allegations of chemical weapons use

NOTES TO CORRESPONDENTS

Note to Correspondents on the UN Chemical Weapons Investigation Team in Damascus
Seoul/New York, 26 August 2013

The Spokesperson for the Secretary-General has the following update on the UN Chemical Weapons Investigation Team in Damascus:

The first vehicle of the Chemical Weapons Investigation Team was deliberately shot at multiple times by unidentified snipers in the buffer zone area.

As the car was no longer serviceable, the Team returned safely back to the Government check-point. The Team will return to the area after replacing the vehicle.

It has to be stressed again that all sides need to extend their cooperation so that the Team can safely carry out their important work.

Notes to correspondents on 26 August 2013

http://www.un.org/sg/offthecuff/index.asp?nid=2945

[Pathfinder]

Re: Alleged chemical attack kills 25 in northern Syria - new allegations of chemical weapons use

UN inspectors visit Syria attack site
...
Last Modified: 26 Aug 2013 13:35

UN chemical weapons investigators have reached the site of an alleged poison gas attack in Syria after surviving a gun attack on their convoy by unidentified snipers.

The UN convoy of six vehicles came under fire on Monday in the buffer zone between rebel and government territory near Damascus as it travelled towards Ghouta, the site of the suspected attack last Wednesday.

"The first vehicle of the investigation team was deliberately shot at multiple times by unidentified snipers in the buffer-zone area," UN spokesman Martin Nesirky said. No one was injured and a replacement vehicle was being obtained, he added.

He later told Al Jazeera that the convoy had managed to reach the alleged attack sites, and had visited two field hospitals to take samples and interview victims.

"They are technical and medical specialists. Their aim is to collect blood and soil samples. They can also collect witness testimony. They will then analyse the samples, along with evidence, to determine what happened."

However, he said that the inspectors' mandate was only to determine whether chemical agents were used - not who used them.
...
More...

http://www.aljazeera.com/news/middleeast/2013/08/2013826123738116707.html