According to Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova, the use of chemical weapons by Jaysh al-Islam and other radical groups in 2016 in both Syria and Iraq, proves that Damascus is not involved in these types of attacks.
© AFP 2016/ JM LOPEZ
“Actually, militants from various radical groups only in 2016 used toxic substances several times as chemical weapons in Syria and Iraq. Now the Jaysh al-Islam group has used chlorine in Aleppo, and it seems they aren’t even hiding this. Obviously we strongly condemn the use of chemical substances for military purposes whoever it is, including non-government subjects,” Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman said.
She noted that the use of chemical weapons by radical groups proves that Damascus is not involved in such attacks.
Jaysh al-Islam militants shelled the YPG-controlled district of Sheikh Maqsood in Aleppo City with artillery shells containing chlorine on April 7. 9 civilians were killed and 29 injured as result of the shelling.
However, the West does not react to this incident through the UN Security Council.
“Russia has long expressed its concern that the Islamic State and other terrorist groups have acquired great potential in war activities with the use of toxic substances in the region of the Middle East. We regularly bring attention to this and put the question forward on the need for the UN Security Council to react to cases of chemical attacks by terrorists, in particular through amendments in the anti-terrorist goals mandate of the Joint Mechanism of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons in the investigations of incidents using chemical weapons in Syria that was specially created in accordance with UN Security Council Resolution 2235,” RIA Novosti cites Zakharova.
We remember, at least 12 cases of chemical attacks (Chlorine gas) were registered in Syria in 2015.
Meanwhile, US officials confirmed that ISIS is making and using chemical weapons in Syria and Iraq.
