I. Allegations of use of chemical weapons in Syria

Chapter:

12. Chemical and biological security threats

Source:

SIPRI Yearbook 2020

Author(s):

Caitríona Mcleish, Filippa Lentzos

In 2019 the conflict in Syria entered its eighth year and, as in previous years, there were continued allegations of use and preparations for use of chemical weapons. This included an allegation that the Syrian Arab Republic used chlorine in Kabanah, north-west Syria, on 19 May.¹ Director-general of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), Fernando Árias, later reported that the OPCW Fact-finding Mission (FFM) was analysing and investigating this allegation.² The FFM also continued its work investigating earlier allegations. Between 5 and 15 January the FFM deployed a team to Syria to conduct interviews and visit hospitals in Aleppo and to receive samples from the Syrian authorities in connection with an alleged use of toxic chemicals in Aleppo on 24 November 2018.³ The team deployed at least three other times, at the end of September and during both October and December. In the last of these deployments, the team interviewed witnesses and collected further information regarding incidents that had taken place in Yarmouk, Damascus, on 22 October 2017; in Khirbat Masasinah on 7 July 2017 and 4 August 2017; in Qalib Al-Thawr, Al-Salamiyah, on 9 August 2017; and in Al-Balil, Souran, on 8 November 2017.⁴ The OPCW Technical Secretariat (the Secretariat) is analysing the collected information.