Chemical weapons watchdog to investigate alleged Douma attack
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region – The Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) will go to Douma to investigate the alleged chemical weapon attack on the rebel-held town.
After requests from Damascus and Russia for the OPCW to investigate the alleged chemical weapon attack in Douma, the organization on Tuesday asked Damascus to make the necessary arrangements for such a fact-finding mission.
“The team is preparing to deploy to Syria shortly,” OPCW announced.
Moscow and Damascus have challenged the reports that chemical weapons were used against the rebel hold out in Eastern Ghouta.
The United Nations Security Council on Tuesday will vote on two rival resolutions. One from Russia calls for the OPCW to send experts to Douma. The other, backed by the US and allies, calls for an independent inquiry to investigate chemical weapon use in Syria and assign blame.
There is a high chance Russia will veto the US draft resolution.
At least 50 people were reported killed in an alleged chlorine gas attack on Douma Saturday night.
Speaking at the UN Security Council on Monday, US Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley vowed that the United States “will respond.”
US President Donald Trump cancelled a trip to South American in order to oversee the United States’ response, White House spokesperson Sarah Huckabee Sanders announced on Tuesday.
Trump had been scheduled to visit Peru and Colombia, attending the Summit of the Americas taking place in Lima, beginning on April 13.
Trump has spoken with UK Prime Minister Theresa May and French President Emmanuel Macron about the situation in Syria.
Saudi Arabia’s foreign minister said they are consulting with allies about how to respond to the alleged chemical weapon use.
Those responsible “must be held accountable and be brought to justice," Adel al-Jubeir told reporters in Paris, adding that consultations are ongoing with a number of countries about a response.
Iran has confirmed that seven of its soldiers were killed in missile strikes on a Syrian regime air base that Iran and Russia have blamed on Israel.
Israel’s Defence Minister Avigdor Lieberman said on Tuesday that Israel “not allow Iranian entrenchment in Syria no matter the price to pay.”
“Allowing Iran to strengthen itself in Syria is like accepting that the Iranians strangle us," he said, but did not confirm whether or not Israel was involved in the missile strikes on T-4 airbase on Homs.
Iran has vowed to respond.
"The Zionist regime's attack on Syria will not go unanswered," said Ali Akbar Velayati, a senior advisor on foreign policy to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, ISNA news agency reported.
Velayati has arrived in Damascus to meet with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, according to ISNA.
After requests from Damascus and Russia for the OPCW to investigate the alleged chemical weapon attack in Douma, the organization on Tuesday asked Damascus to make the necessary arrangements for such a fact-finding mission.
“The team is preparing to deploy to Syria shortly,” OPCW announced.
Moscow and Damascus have challenged the reports that chemical weapons were used against the rebel hold out in Eastern Ghouta.
The United Nations Security Council on Tuesday will vote on two rival resolutions. One from Russia calls for the OPCW to send experts to Douma. The other, backed by the US and allies, calls for an independent inquiry to investigate chemical weapon use in Syria and assign blame.
There is a high chance Russia will veto the US draft resolution.
At least 50 people were reported killed in an alleged chlorine gas attack on Douma Saturday night.
Speaking at the UN Security Council on Monday, US Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley vowed that the United States “will respond.”
US President Donald Trump cancelled a trip to South American in order to oversee the United States’ response, White House spokesperson Sarah Huckabee Sanders announced on Tuesday.
Trump had been scheduled to visit Peru and Colombia, attending the Summit of the Americas taking place in Lima, beginning on April 13.
Trump has spoken with UK Prime Minister Theresa May and French President Emmanuel Macron about the situation in Syria.
Saudi Arabia’s foreign minister said they are consulting with allies about how to respond to the alleged chemical weapon use.
Those responsible “must be held accountable and be brought to justice," Adel al-Jubeir told reporters in Paris, adding that consultations are ongoing with a number of countries about a response.
Iran has confirmed that seven of its soldiers were killed in missile strikes on a Syrian regime air base that Iran and Russia have blamed on Israel.
Israel’s Defence Minister Avigdor Lieberman said on Tuesday that Israel “not allow Iranian entrenchment in Syria no matter the price to pay.”
“Allowing Iran to strengthen itself in Syria is like accepting that the Iranians strangle us," he said, but did not confirm whether or not Israel was involved in the missile strikes on T-4 airbase on Homs.
Iran has vowed to respond.
"The Zionist regime's attack on Syria will not go unanswered," said Ali Akbar Velayati, a senior advisor on foreign policy to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, ISNA news agency reported.
Velayati has arrived in Damascus to meet with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, according to ISNA.