Douma attack
Douma, Syria
| File:White Helmets Douma.jpg White Helmets blame the Syrian Arab Army | |
| Date | 7 April 2018 |
|---|---|
| Location | Douma, Syria |
| Deaths | ? |
| Description | A suspect chemical attack which the commercially-controlled media blamed on the Syrian Arab Army |
The Douma attack, on 7 April 2018, was presented as a chemical attack, as on-site medics said exposure to chlorine gas and sarin nerve agent killed at least 70 people.[1][2]
Attribution
The attack was attributed to the Syrian Army by rebel forces in Douma, NGO aid and medical workers there, as well as by the United States and its allies.[3][4]
The statements from the Russian government and military were contradictory: at one instance they said that there was no chemical attack; that the video evidence for it was staged by the White Helmets and British intelligence as a pretext for foreign intervention or that a chemical attack did happen, but that it was perpetrated by the al-Qaeda rebels themselves.[5][6][7]
Retribution
On 14 April 2018, the United States, France and the United Kingdom carried out a series of military strikes against multiple government sites in Syria.[8]
On 7 April 2018, a chemical warfare attack was allegedly carried out in the Syrian city of Douma. The Syrian and Russian governments asserted that a widely circulated video showing the aftermath of the attack was staged.[9]
On 14 April 2018, the United States, France and the United Kingdom carried out a series of military strikes against multiple government sites in Syria.[10]
Exposure
On 20 January 2020, Ian Henderson, a former lead investigator for the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) testified at the UN that no scientific evidence exists to support claims that a chemical gas attack took place in Douma, Syria, in April 2018. After 12 years working for the international watchdog body, he was the OPCW’s inspection team leader and engineering expert and assisted in the fact-finding-mission (FFM) in Douma. Speaking before a UN Security Council session, Henderson said:
- “We had serious misgivings that a chemical attack had occurred,” referring to the FFM team in Douma, adding that the evidence he compiled “provided further support for the view that there had not been a chemical attack.”[11]
In September 2021, RT covered the story.[12] Peter Hitchens filed a complaint about BBC coverage. The BBC have now admitted that the documentary had "inaccuracies".[13]
References
- ↑ "Suspected Syria chemical attack kills 70"
- ↑ "Russia blames Israel for attack on Syrian air base as pressure mounts over gas atrocity"
- ↑ "Trump says ordered precision strikes against Syria chemical weapons..."
- ↑ "US launches missile strikes in Syria"
- ↑ "Envoy to OPCW says Russia found participants of staged 'chemical attack' video in Syria"
- ↑ "Russia just blamed Britain for Syria chemical attack. Here’s who else Moscow blames"
- ↑ "Russia says it found Syrian rebel chemical weapons"
- ↑ "US, Britain and France Strike Syria Over Suspected Chemical Weapons Attack"
- ↑ "Russian top brass reports it has proof of UK’s involvement in Douma chemical incident"
- ↑ "Timeline of investigations into Syria's chemical weapons"
- ↑ "Chemical weapons expert at the UN: Douma attack didn’t happen"
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2AJLf5iRZ2I
- ↑ https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9958679/BBC-admits-Syria-gas-attack-report-flaws-complaint-Peter-Hitchens.html
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