UN investigators into rights abuses in Syria stressed on Monday they had no conclusive proof that either side in the conflict has used chemical weapons, after a team member cited ‘concrete suspicions’ that rebels have used sarin gas.
‘The Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Syrian Arab Republic wishes to clarify that it has not reached conclusive findings as to the use of chemical weapons in Syria by any parties to the conflict,’ the commission said in a statement.
Late on Sunday, Carla del Ponte, a former war crimes prosecutor and a member of the commission, told Swiss public broadcaster RSI that ‘according to the testimonies we have gathered, the rebels have used chemical weapons, making use of sarin gas.’
She acknowledged there was ‘still not irrefutable proof, (but) very strong suspicions, concrete suspicions that sarin gas has been used... by opponents, by rebels, not by government authorities.’
Her comments come amid growing Western suspicions that Assad’s regime has used chemical weapons in the 26-month conflict and follow Israeli raids on military sites near Damascus over the weekend.
The commission of inquiry did not mention del Ponte’s comments specifically, only stressing that it was ‘not in a position to further comment on the allegations at this time’.
The commission is set to publish its next report on the situation in Syria at the end of May at the Human Rights Council in June.
‘The Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Syrian Arab Republic wishes to clarify that it has not reached conclusive findings as to the use of chemical weapons in Syria by any parties to the conflict,’ the commission said in a statement.
Late on Sunday, Carla del Ponte, a former war crimes prosecutor and a member of the commission, told Swiss public broadcaster RSI that ‘according to the testimonies we have gathered, the rebels have used chemical weapons, making use of sarin gas.’
She acknowledged there was ‘still not irrefutable proof, (but) very strong suspicions, concrete suspicions that sarin gas has been used... by opponents, by rebels, not by government authorities.’
Her comments come amid growing Western suspicions that Assad’s regime has used chemical weapons in the 26-month conflict and follow Israeli raids on military sites near Damascus over the weekend.
The commission of inquiry did not mention del Ponte’s comments specifically, only stressing that it was ‘not in a position to further comment on the allegations at this time’.
The commission is set to publish its next report on the situation in Syria at the end of May at the Human Rights Council in June.