The Fact-Finding Mission of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) in Syria issued a report on two incidents that occurred in Khirbet al-Masasneh in rural Hama on July 7 and August 4, 2017. The investigation was prompted by a “note verbale” sent by the Syrian regime (No. 103), alleging that its forces were subjected to two attacks using toxic gases.
The fact-finding mission published its report on June 28, 2023 (S/2186/2023), confirming that after reviewing the available evidence, “there is no reasonable information” supporting Damascus’ claims that its army had been targeted by two poison gas attacks in 2017.
The mission received a total of seven medical records from Hama National Hospital, three of which pertained to the July 7 incident and four to the August 4 incident. All records involved members of the Syrian regime’s army.
The fact-finding mission conducted 19 interviews with 18 individuals, including four medical personnel, seven witnesses, and seven victims, with one person interviewed twice, between December 6, 2017, and December 1, 2021. The team thoroughly examined and analyzed all information, photographs, videos, records, and files it collected.
According to one witness, three members of the regime’s army arrived at Hama Hospital by ambulance, all suffering from respiratory distress. Medical staff reported a strange smell emanating from the injured, though they did not provide any further description of the odor.
During the investigation, the panel sought clarifications and explanations for several discrepancies observed during its activities. Despite the clarifications provided by the Syrian regime, the mission faced challenges in gathering sufficient information to investigate the two reported incidents. Issues included insecurity at the site of the alleged events, restrictions on obtaining photographs or videos taken shortly after the incidents, and the absence of environmental samples collected from the site.
When collecting medical samples, regime medical staff reported a liquid substance present on the clothes of some of the injured. However, no precise description of the substance was provided, no samples were taken from the injured individuals’ clothing, and the clothing was not recovered.
The report concluded that, based on the findings of the mission team, there were no reasonable grounds to determine that toxic chemicals were used as a weapon in the two incidents reported in Khirbet al-Masasneh.
chemical_attack chemical_weapons FFM Hama opcw syria
