Turkey strongly condemns chemical attack in Syria

By Satuk Bugra Kutlugun and Sorwar Alam

ANKARA

Turkey on Sunday strongly condemned Saturday's chemical attack in Syria's Eastern Ghouta region that killed at least 78 civilians.

In a statement, Turkish Foreign Ministry said there is a “strong suspicion” that Bashar al-Assad regime, whose record of using chemical weapons is well known by the international community, carried out the chemical attack.

According to local civil defense agency White Helmets, Assad regime forces struck targets in the Damascus suburb’s Douma district in a midnight attack using poison gas that left at least 78 civilians dead.

The chemical attack shows that UN Security Council's Resolutions No. 2118, 2209, 2235 "are once again disregarded," according to the Turkish Foreign Ministry.

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 Eastern Ghouta.

Turkish Deputy Prime Minister and Government Spokesman Bekir Bozdag held the international community responsible for not preventing the Assad regime from repeated chemical attacks.

In a series of tweets Bozdag said that previous attacks were ignored and that encouraged the Syrian regime to carry out the latest attack.

"We hope that the Syrian administration's chemical attack is not overlooked this time," he said.

"Of course, the Syrian administration is primarily responsible for its crimes against humanity and killing dozens of innocents," Bozdag said, adding that those who do not prevent this savagery are also responsible.

He also called on the international community and organizations to take concrete steps -- beyond condemnation and criticism -- to stop the Syrian regime.

"Now we are at the point where words fail. We need more than words," he said.

Home to some 400,000 people, the suburb 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.