What chemical weapons attacks were reported during the Syrian Civil War?

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During the Syrian Civil War, multiple reports emerged regarding the use of chemical weapons, a practice that constitutes a grave violation of international humanitarian norms and human rights.

Reported incidents include:

  • Early 2013: Syrian troops were reported to have used chemical weapons in Homs and Aleppo on several occasions.1
  • August 21, 2013: A large-scale attack in the suburbs of Damascus killed hundreds of people. A UN report later confirmed that rockets carrying the nerve gas sarin were used in this attack.12
  • April 2017: A chemical weapons attack was carried out in Khān Shaykhūn.1
  • 2018: The Syrian government was reported to have used chemical weapons in Douma.1

While an international agreement in 2013 led to the removal and destruction of Syria's declared chemical stockpile, subsequent reports indicated the continued use of agents such as sarin and chlorine gas. The use of such indiscriminate weapons against civilian and military targets is widely condemned as a war crime.123