Khan Shaykhun chemical attack

2017 Khan Shaykhun chemical attack
Part of the Syrian Civil War
TypeAirstrike, sarin attack
Location
Khan Shaykhun, Idlib Governorate, Syria

35°26′20″N 36°39′4″E / 35.43889°N 36.65111°E / 35.43889; 36.65111
Date4 April 2017; 7 years ago (2017-04-04)
06:30 EEST[1] (UTC+03:00)
Executed by Syrian Arab Air Force[2][3]
OutcomeUS launches retaliatory missile strike
Casualties89–100+[4] killed
300–541[4][5] injured
Khan Shaykhun is located in Syria
Khan Shaykhun
Khan Shaykhun
Location of Khan Shaykhun within Syria

The Khan Shaykhun chemical attack took place on 4 April 2017 on the town of Khan Shaykhun in the Idlib Governorate of Syria.[6] The town was reported to have been struck by an airstrike by government forces followed by massive civilian chemical poisoning.[5][7] The release of a toxic gas, which included sarin, or a similar substance,[8] killed at least 89 people and injured more than 541, according to the opposition Idlib Health Directorate.[9][4][10] The attack was the deadliest use of chemical weapons in the Syrian civil war since the Ghouta chemical attack in 2013.[11]

The OPCW-UN Joint Investigative Mechanism attributed the responsibility of the attack to the Syrian government.[12][13][14][15] The OPCW-UN JIM described chemicals that it said linked the sarin used to the Syrian government: "The samples from Khan Shaykhun contain the three types of marker chemicals described above: PF6 [HFP], isopropyl phosphates and isopropyl phosphorofluoridates. Their presence is a strong indicator that the sarin disseminated in Khan Shaykhun was produced from DF from the Syrian Arab Republic stockpile."[16][17]

The governments of the United States, United Kingdom, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, France, and Israel as well as Human Rights Watch attributed the attack to the forces of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.[18][19][20][21] The Syrian government said the attack was a "fabrication"[22] while the Russian government said that the incident was staged.[23]

On 7 April, the United States launched 59 cruise missiles at Shayrat Air Base, which U.S. intelligence cited as the source of the attack.[24][25]

  1. ^ Francis, Ellen (4 April 2017). "Scores reported killed in gas attack on Syrian rebel area". Reuters. Beirut. Archived from the original on 4 April 2017. Retrieved 4 April 2017.
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference dozen was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ "Syria regime responsible for gas attack on rebel-held town, UN finds". The Guardian. 26 October 2017. Archived from the original on 27 October 2017. Retrieved 27 October 2017.
  4. ^ a b c "4th joint report between SCD & Idleb health directorate in regards to Khan Shaykhun chemical attack. 89 killed (33kids & 18wmn), 541 injured". @syriancivildef. 7 April 2017.
  5. ^ a b "Syria conflict: 'Chemical attack' in Idlib kills dozens". BBC. 4 April 2017. Archived from the original on 6 June 2018. Retrieved 22 June 2018.
  6. ^ "www.securitycouncilreport.org" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 11 May 2019.
  7. ^ "Witness of Syria chemical attack gives graphic account as death toll climbs". www.thenational.ae. 6 April 2017. Archived from the original on 10 April 2017. Retrieved 10 April 2017. The warplane dropped three conventional explosive bombs – and a fourth that made little sound on impact but produced a cloud of smoke.
  8. ^ "Syria war: Sarin used in Khan Sheikhoun attack, OPCW says". BBC News. 20 April 2017. Archived from the original on 17 July 2018. Retrieved 20 April 2017.
  9. ^ "A Joint Statement by the Syria Civil Defence and the Health Directorate in Idlib". syriacivildefense.org. Archived from the original on 3 July 2018. Retrieved 1 June 2018.
  10. ^ "4th joint report between SCD & Idleb health directorate in regards to Khan Shaykhun chemical attack. 89 killed (33kids & 18wmn), 541 injured". @SyriaCivilDef. 7 April 2017. Retrieved 12 March 2019.
  11. ^ "Syria 'toxic gas' attack kills 100 in Idlib province". Al-Arabiya & AFP. 4 April 2017. Archived from the original on 19 October 2017. Retrieved 4 April 2017.
  12. ^ Both ISIL and Syrian Government responsible for use of chemical weapons, UN Security Council told Archived 9 January 2018 at the Wayback Machine, UN News Centre, 7 November 2017
  13. ^ UN panel blames Syrian forces for Khan Sheikhoun attack Archived 9 April 2018 at the Wayback Machine, Al-Jazeera, 27 October 2017
  14. ^ Syrian government to blame for April sarin attack - U.N. report Archived 24 January 2018 at the Wayback Machine, Reuters, 26 October 2017
  15. ^ The Guardian, 23 January 2018 Russia bears responsibility Archived 24 January 2018 at the Wayback Machine
  16. ^ "Seventh report of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons-United Nations Joint Investigative Mechanism". Archived from the original on 7 April 2019. Retrieved 31 December 2018.
  17. ^ "opcw-fact-finding-mission-confirms-sarin-chlorine-use-syria". Bellingcat, June 13, 2018. 13 June 2018. Archived from the original on 17 June 2019. Retrieved 31 December 2018.
  18. ^ Schleifer, Theodore; Merica, Dan. "Trump: 'I now have responsibility' when it comes to Syria". CNN. Archived from the original on 5 April 2017. Retrieved 5 April 2017.
  19. ^ "Syria chemical 'attack': Russia faces fury at UN Security Council". BBC. 5 April 2017. Archived from the original on 5 April 2017. Retrieved 5 April 2017.
  20. ^ "US attack on Syria: world leaders react". The Irish Times. 12 April 2017. Archived from the original on 9 April 2017. Retrieved 12 April 2017.
  21. ^ "An official source at Foreign Affairs Ministry expresses Kingdom of Saudi Arabia's strong support for US military operations on military targets in Syria". www.spa.gov.sa. 12 April 2017. Archived from the original on 13 April 2017. Retrieved 12 April 2017.
  22. ^ "Syria's Assad says chemical attack '100 percent fabrication'". Agence France Presse. 13 April 2017. Archived from the original on 13 April 2017. Retrieved 13 April 2017.
  23. ^ "Putin Applies MH17 False-Flag Template To Syria's Gas Attack To Convince Russian Public". Forbes. 13 April 2017. Archived from the original on 16 April 2017. Retrieved 15 April 2017.
  24. ^ Cite error: The named reference BBC3 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  25. ^ US strikes on Syrian base: what we know Archived 14 April 2018 at the Wayback Machine – AFP. Retrieved 4 April 2018.