The Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) – United Nations (UN) Joint Investigative Mechanism (JIM), established pursuant to UN Security Council Resolution 2235, in order to identify perpetrators using chemical weapons in Syria, has ascertained the liability of the Syrian regime in some of the cases that have been under investigation.

That the Syrian regime has not fulfilled its obligations and continued to use chemical weapons in the period following its use of sarin gas against the Syrian people in Ghouta, Damascus in 2013 has now definitely been confirmed.

JIM’s findings also clearly indicate that Turkey has been justified by its previous warnings.

The use of chemical weapons is a crime against humanity and constitutes a war crime. As a responsible member of the international community, Turkey expects the OPCW, which is responsible for supervising the implementation of the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC), to continue monitoring and reporting on the gaps and discrepancies in the declaration of the Syrian regime pertaining to its chemical weapons program. Furthermore, considering the fact that the regime has heedlessly continued to use chemical weapons up to now, Turkey expects steps be taken regarding the regime, which is a party to the CWC, so that it is held accountable by necessary sanctions called for by this crime.

The use of chemical weapons by DEASH amid its vicious terrorist acts has also been established by the JIM in its report. Our efforts to counter DEASH will continue with resolve.