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The OPCW is holding a side event during its monthly meeting on July 9, 2024, where it will screen a documentary about the chemical weapons attacks in Marea. All attendees will be given 5 minutes to discuss the film and its implications within their areas of expertise, as well as to answer questions from the audience in the presence of the supervisors.
The Chemical Violations Documentation center of Syria (CVDCS) is expected to participate in the event by screening the film, which they played a major role in preparing and verifying the information contained within.
Nidal Shikhani, the Director of the Chemical Violations Documentation center of Syria (CVDCS), will deliver a speech on the importance of highlighting chemical strikes in Syria and their impacts.
The event aims to highlight the contributions of civil society (civil society organizations and non-governmental organizations) in enhancing the implementation of the Chemical Weapons Convention, including supporting investigations and accountability.
Additionally, the event will discuss analyses related to chemical weapons attacks carried out by non-state actors, such as the Marea attack.
The event emphasizes the seriousness of the use of chemical weapons, their “long-term” effects on victims, the need to prevent toxic chemicals from falling into the wrong hands, and reminds member states of the importance of showing international commitment to combating chemical weapons terrorism.
The primary focus of the event will be on the contributions of civil society organizations and non-governmental organizations, within the activities of the OPCW’s international investigation team and the Fact-Finding Mission.
A report by the OPCW, dated February 22, 2024, indicated the likelihood of ISIS elements carrying out a chemical attack on the city of Marea in the northern Aleppo countryside of Syria.
The investigation team concluded that there are reasonable grounds to believe that ISIS elements deployed munitions containing mustard gas on September 1 and 3, 2015, which resulted in at least 20 people being injured.
Aleppo chemical_attack chemical_attack_syria chemical_weapons ISIL ISIS MAREA opcw syria
