Turkey treats 58 Syrians for suspected chemical attack

By Zehra Melek Cat

ERZURUM

Turkish hospitals are treating 58 civilians injured in the suspected chemical weapons attack in Syria’s northwestern Idlib province, according to a statement by the office of Hatay governor on Wednesday.

"The injured people are being treated at several private and state hospitals including Antakya, Reyhanli and Iskenderun state hospitals, and Hatay-based Mustafa Kemal University Hospital," the statement said.

Earlier on Wednesday, Turkish Health Minister Recep Akdag said that 30 people had been brought to Turkey for treatment on Tuesday, and were being treated at hospitals in the border provinces of Hatay and Gaziantep.

The minister also noted that they had evidence concerning Tuesday's attack in the town of Khan Shaykun which led to widespread international outrage.

"We have some findings of a chemical attack. We are documenting the findings and will send them to the World Health Organization", he said.

"Humanity should not remain insensitive to this issue," he added.

Following the attack, Turkey dispatched 30 ambulances to Idlib on Tuesday.

More than 100 civilians were killed and 500 others, mostly children, were injured in the attack carried out by Assad regime warplanes, according to the Syrian interim government's health minister, Firas Jundi.

Last year, a UN-appointed investigation panel found that chemical weapons were used by regime forces and opposition fighters in 2014 and 2015. However, no actionable steps were taken. 

Since March 2011, the Syrian opposition has demanded an end to more than 44 years of Assad family rule and the establishment of a democratic state.