It's being widely reported that the UN report on the August 21st alleged chemical attack in Damascus may be published on Monday, if not sooner, with claims that "it will provide a strong circumstantial case -- based on an examination of spent rocket casings, ammunition, and laboratory tests of soil, blood, and urine samples -- that points strongly in the direction of Syrian government culpability."
There were also three other videos posted online showing the munition locals claim were used in Adra (warning - dead and dying animals in the first video)
It seems clear that these are the same type of munition recovered from the August 21st attack in Eastern Ghouta, and examined by the UN. It would seem that rather than being a freak incident, the August 21st attack was the second to occur in Damascus within 3 weeks. It's also worth noting this video, originally posted online on June 11th, showing the remains of the same munition, with claims it was a "chemical rocket"
If the UN report does point towards these munitions being used to deliver the chemical agent, then it seems to strongly suggest the August 5th attack was also a chemical attack using the same type of munition, and might put previous alleged chemical attacks in the Damascus area in a new light.
More posted on the subject of the August 21st attacks can be found here, and other posts on chemical weapons and Syria, including extremely informative interviews with chemical weapon specialists, can be found here.
You can contact the author on Twitter @brown_moses or by email at brownmoses@gmail.com.
Those of you have been following the blog for the past few weeks will already know I've been spending a lot of time looking at "spent rocket casings", and that the UN has closely examined the munition I've dubbed the UMLACA (Unidentified Munition Linked to Alleged Chemical Attacks). The evidence I've gathered seems to point towards the government being responsible for the use of these munitions, with evidence I've examined pointing towards the opposition being responsible seeming very weak. If the UN report confirms these are chemical munitions, then it seems almost certain the government were responsible for firing them.
What many people aren't aware of is that the same munitions are linked to at least one previous chemical attack. Earlier on August 5th, two areas of Damascus, Douma and Adra, were hit by an alleged chemical attack, with around 400 victims reported injured in Douma, and at least a couple of dozen in Adra. I've collected videos from the attack here, and the following video with English subtitles has one of the victims explaining what happen in Adra
There were also three other videos posted online showing the munition locals claim were used in Adra (warning - dead and dying animals in the first video)
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If the UN report does point towards these munitions being used to deliver the chemical agent, then it seems to strongly suggest the August 5th attack was also a chemical attack using the same type of munition, and might put previous alleged chemical attacks in the Damascus area in a new light.
More posted on the subject of the August 21st attacks can be found here, and other posts on chemical weapons and Syria, including extremely informative interviews with chemical weapon specialists, can be found here.
You can contact the author on Twitter @brown_moses or by email at brownmoses@gmail.com.