The United States claimed on Friday that the Syrian government has launched at least 50 chemical weapons attacks since violence broke out in the region 7 years ago, as tensions with Russia sharply increased.
The claim comes after an attack in Douma earlier this month which killed dozens of people. The US, UK and France have all blamed the Syrian regime, led by president Bashar al-Assad.
“Let’s be clear: Assad’s most recent use of poison gas against the people of Douma was not his first, second, third, or even 49th use of chemical weapons,” US ambassador to the United Nations, Nikki Haley told the UN Security Council.
“The United States estimates that Assad has used chemical weapons in the Syrian war at least 50 times. Public estimates are as high as 200.”
The use of chemical weapons in Syria is “a violation of all standards of morality,” she added.
Ms Haley repeatedly clashed with the Russian ambassador Vasily Nebenzya at the Security Council, who claimed the US had adopted “a categorical policy to unleash military force against Syria”. US President Donald Trump’s threats of a military strike were “unworthy of a permanent member of the Security Council,” he added
“I’m in awe of how you say what you say with a straight face,” Ms Haley responded.
See more from the New York Times here.
We need your support
Sri Lanka is one of the most dangerous places in the world to be a journalist. Tamil journalists are particularly at threat, with at least 41 media workers known to have been killed by the Sri Lankan state or its paramilitaries during and after the armed conflict.
Despite the risks, our team on the ground remain committed to providing detailed and accurate reporting of developments in the Tamil homeland, across the island and around the world, as well as providing expert analysis and insight from the Tamil point of view
We need your support in keeping our journalism going. Support our work today.
For more ways to donate visit https://donate.tamilguardian.com.
