Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons condemns reported use of chemical weapons in Syria

In response to recent reports of a chemical weapons attack in the Khan Shaykhun area of southern Idlib in Syria, the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) condemned the reported use of chemical weapons and provided updates of its fact-finding mission in the country.

The condemnation by the OPCW comes as reports surface that up to 100 people were killed in a recent chemical weapons attack in Syria. OPCW researchers have been obtaining evidence in a fact-finding mission in Syria since 2014 to “establish facts surrounding allegations of the use of toxic chemicals, reportedly chlorine, for hostile purposes in the Syrian Arab Republic.”

OPCW said the fact-finding mission is required to study the information relating to allegations of chemical weapons use in Syria, including information provided by the Syrian government and others.

Researchers with OPCW’s fact-finding mission will report its findings to the OPCW Executive Council and state parties to the chemical weapons convention (CWC). Included in its report are witness interviews and physical evidence for analysis.

The organization serves as the implementing body of the CWC, which was entered into force in 1997 and has 192 member state signatories. To date, approximately 95 percent of all chemical weapon stockpiles declared by possessor state have been destroyed under OPCW verification.