Saudi condemns suspected chemical attack in E. Ghouta

By Mohamed Fahd

RIYADH

Saudi Arabia on Sunday condemned a suspected chemical attack by Syrian regime forces in the Damascus suburb of eastern Ghouta, in which at least 40 people were killed.

Regime forces struck targets in eastern Ghouta’s Douma district in an attack, in which poison gas appears to have been used, according to the White Helmets civil defense agency.

A Saudi Foreign Ministry source voiced the kingdom’s “deep concern and condemnation” of the attack and called on the international community to “shoulder its responsibility toward protecting civilians in Syria”, according to the official SPA news agency.

The source underlined “the necessity to stop these tragedies and to seek a peaceful solution based on Geneva Declaration 1 and UN Security Council resolution 2254.”

Home to some 400,000 people, eastern Ghouta has remained the target of a crippling regime siege for the last five years.

Earlier this month, a UN commission of inquiry released a report accusing the regime of committing war crimes in Eastern Ghouta, including the use of chemical weapons against civilians.

On Feb. 24, the UN Security Council unanimously adopted Resolution 2401 which called for a month-long cease-fire in Syria -- especially in eastern Ghouta -- to allow the delivery of humanitarian aid.

Despite the resolution, the regime and its allies early this month launched a major ground offensive backed by Russian air power aimed at capturing opposition-held parts of the suburb.