Syria rejects accusation of chemical weapons use in NW region

The logo of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) is seen during a special session in the Hague, Netherlands, June 26, 2018. /Reuters

The Syrian Foreign Ministry on Wednesday denied an accusation by a global watchdog about the use of chemical weapons against the population in northwestern Syria, according to the state news agency SANA.

In a statement, the ministry slammed as "misleading" a report by the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), which said that "the Syrian government forces used chemical weapons against its population in the city of Saraqib in 2018."

The report by the OPCW "reached the conclusion that there are reasonable grounds to believe that, at approximately 21:22 on February 4, 2018, a military helicopter of the Syrian Arab Air Force under the control of the Tiger Forces hit eastern Saraqib by dropping at least one cylinder."

"The cylinder ruptured and released chlorine over a large area, affecting 12 named individuals," it said.

In response, the Syrian Foreign Ministry said that the OPCW's report has included a "false and fabricated conclusion which represents another scandal for the OPCW and the inquiry teams."

It added that Syria categorically denies using toxic gas in Saraqib or in any city or village, stressing that the Syrian army has never used such weapons during most difficult battles carried out against armed terrorist organizations.

Source(s): Xinhua News Agency