UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is “deeply disturbed” by reports of a suspected chemical attack on Syria but is not in a position to independently verify it.
The Secretary-General expressed condolences to the victims of the incident and their families. He said the UN Security Council has affirmed that the use of chemical weapons “constitutes a serious violation of international law” and runs counter to resolutions passed by the 15-member body. While the UN has said it is not in a position to independently verify these reports, the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) is in the process of gathering and analysing information to confirm if chemical weapons were used.