The OPCW Fact-Finding Mission (FFM) in Syria has reported no evidence to substantiate claims of poisonous substances being deployed in the Yarmouk area near Damascus on October 22, 2017. This conclusion was outlined in the organization's official report.
The Technical Secretariat of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons was notified of the incident by the Syrian government. According to Syrian authorities, toxic chemicals were purportedly utilized in an attack by militants affiliated with the terrorist organization "Islamic State" (IS, banned in Russia) against a group known as "Aknaf Bait al-Maqdis" in the Yarmouk district on the specified date. Allegedly, this resulted in "several cases of shortness of breath and loss of consciousness" among the group's members.
However, the FFM has now determined that "there are no reasonable grounds to believe that poisonous substances were used as weapons" during the reported clashes. Throughout the investigation, the mission conducted chemical analyses of samples collected from the site and scrutinized various sources of information, including witness interviews, photographs, and video footage.
"The results of the analyses revealed no indications of chemical weapon use," - the report stated. - "No scheduled chemicals, their precursors and/or their decomposition products, as well as riot control agents, chlorinated organic chemicals, or compounds containing reactive chlorine were detected." The experts also highlighted the challenges encountered in obtaining testimony from eyewitnesses, some of whom perished during the conflict or remain missing. Additionally, several other witnesses declined to provide testimony.
The OPCW FFM report has been distributed to OPCW members and forwarded to the UN Secretary-General for subsequent submission to the UN Security Council.
GSV "Russia - Islamic World"
Photo: Public Domain
Based on materials from TASS