IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Chemical Weapons Attack in Aleppo Injures 128 including 37 children

Toronto, ON- On September 6, 2016 6:30 a.m. Damascus time, two barrels of  chlorine gas were dropped by helicopter on the civilian neighborhood of  Al Sukari in the center of Aleppo. 128 people were injured by the attacks, and are being treated at Al Quds Hospital (71 cases reported), Al Zarzour Hospital (21 cases reported)  and Omar Bin Abdul Aziz Hospital (36 cases reported) with some patients choosing not to seek medical attention. No fatalities have been reported.

Chlorine toxicity report confirms the use of chlorine gas:

“Several patients were experiencing the following symptoms: difficulty breathing, a dry cough, sneezing and vomiting. Their clothing smelled like chlorine. Patients were also experiencing major tearing in their eyes, and many patients were suffocating and experienced difficulty in breathing. A total of 71 patients were admitted into Al Quds Hospital, 37 were children, and 10 were women.

The age groups are as follows:


Under the age of 1:     1 female       0 male
Ages 1-5:                   4 females     12 males
Ages 6-18:                  9 females     11 males
Ages 19-65:                10 females    23 males
Ages 65+:                     0 females     1 male

12 victims received first aid and were released. 22 victims were released between 2-4 hours after arrival to the hospital. 10 patients were admitted into intensive care. One patient was put on a ventilator. One patient is 39 weeks pregnant, the heart rate of the fetus is slow, the patient may need an emergency Cesarean Section. 24 patients were admitted into the pediatrics and internal medicine departments.”- Free Aleppo Doctor’s Association

Dr. Anas Al Kassem, Chairman of UOSSM Canada and Simcoe Surgeon is available for interviews, please contact:

Phone: (905) 617-3332
Email: press@uossm-canada.org
Website: www.uossm-canada.org

UOSSM (Union des Organisations de Secours et Soins Médicaux) Canada provides free medical aid to the people of Syria regardless of nationality, ethnicity, gender, religion or political affiliation. UOSSM Canada has sent millions of dollars worth of medical supplies to medical facilities in Syria over the past two years. UOSSM international, started in 2012 and operates 12 major hospitals and supports 120 clinics inside Syria and has performed over 1,000,000 medical treatments since inception.

Chemical Weapons laws and UN resolutions:

  • Today’s attack is the 173rd reported chlorine gas attack since the beginning of the conflict in Syria, and the 5th attack in 2016. This attack is another violation of the UNSC resolutions 1540 (2004), and 2118 (September 27, 2013).

  • The UNSC Resolution 2118 prohibits the use of any type of chemical weapon in Syria.  Since then, there have been 140 chemical attacks according to the Syrian Network for Human Rights, this is a clear violation of this resolution.

  • 97% of attacks were CW attacks perpetrated against opposition controlled areas and 3% were deployed in areas controlled by ISIS according to SNHR.

  • At least 88 people were killed by chemical weapons since the passing of Resolution  UNSCr 2118.  

  • The usage of chlorine gas is violation of UNSC Resolutions 2118, 2235, 2209 and to the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC).

  • UN Resolution 2209 Article 2:  “Expresses deep concern that toxic chemicals have been used as a weapon in the Syrian Arab Republic as concluded with a high degree of confidence by the OPCW Fact-Finding Mission and notes that such use of toxic chemicals as a weapon would constitute a violation of resolution 2118 and of the Chemical Weapons Convention"

http://www.un.org/press/en/2015/sc11810.doc.htm

Video of first responders treating patients taken by White Helmets:

https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B1oIZsVkfBsxV2gtNUUtNVVDZHM

https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B1oIZsVkfBsxWGlqaWNNY3lFT28



www.uossm-canada.org