Тhe OPCW accused Syria of using chemical weapons

1 Syria

The Syrian ambassador to Moscow, Riyad Haddad, stated that Syria asked the Russian Ministry of Health to provide protective and medical equipment to fight the spread of the new coronavirus. «Syria asked the Russian Ministry of Health to provide medical equipment for the detection of the coronavirus, as well as some protective suits and equipment for the analysis and examination. All of it is needed to help the Syrian people to deal with the coronavirus» — the TASS news agency quoted the ambassador.

2. Syria

An investigation and identification team from the Organization for the Prohibition of the Chemical Weapons released a report in which it accused the Syrian authorities of a combat use of the toxic substances back in March of 2017. The Syrian armed forces are, allegedly, »responsible for the use of toxic gases, sarin and chlorine, in the village of El Latamna, in March 2017» — the report stated. The Russian delegation to the OPCW stated that the report was made with flaws, and it is not credible. The US State Department intends to impose new sanctions against Syria due to the report. “These are actions of a political, diplomatic and economic nature” — the US State Department specified. «They also include a diplomatic isolation of the regime, and a block of any stabilization aid aimed to rebuild the country until the country respects its obligations under the UN» — said a high-ranking US State Department official. Earlier, the US Secretary of State, Michael Pompeo, stated that Washington shares the assessments, contained in the report of the OPCW experts. At the same time, the US Secretary of State didn’t give any specific facts. He condemned »the use of the chemical weapons» on behalf of the US, and he demanded the Syrian authorities to «immediately stop the development, storage, and use of chemical weapons».

3 Yemen

The Yemeni information minister, Muammar al-Iriyani, stated that the «Ansar Allah» rebel movement launched rocket attacks on the cities of Marib and Hodeida in Yemen. The rebels also tried to regain their control over a military camp in Al-Jouf province. The information minister linked these rebel actions to the two-week announcement, made by the Arabian alliance, on a ceasefire in Yemen — the Saudi newspaper ‘Al Riyadh’ reports. Earlier, the coalition led by Saudi Arabia announced a ceasefire in Yemen for two weeks, in order to create the conditions to fight the new coronavirus. The full ceasefire regime takes effect on Thursday noon, and it may be extended later. The decision was made due to the UN ceasefire initiative — this was stated by the official representative of the coalition command, Colonel Turki al-Maliki, the »Al Arabiya» TV reports.

4 Afghanistan.

5 missiles hit a NATO airbase in Bagram area in the province of Parwan in Afghanistan — the NATO’s »Decisive Support» mission in Afghanistan reported on Twitter. «There were no casualties or injuries. Our partners, the National Security Forces of Afghanistan, are investigating the incident» — the report stated. The Reuters reported that the ISIS took the responsibility for the attack.

5 Italy

The head of the EU diplomacy, Josep Borrell, expressed his opinion during an interview to »La Repubblica» newspaper that China and Russia are using the coronavirus crisis, and are helping other countries, in order to increase their geopolitical role in the world. «Major powers, such as Russia and China, are increasing the effect of their help thanks to the mass media. They increase their geopolitical role in the world by creating a positive public opinion» — said Josep Borrell. During an interview to the BBC, the Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte called the assumption that the aid, received by Italy from Russia, China or other countries, was provided on the basis of Rome’s positive response on something like easing the European sanctions to be ‘insulting’. Earlier, the Russian ambassador to Italy, Sergei Razov, stated during an interview to the TASS that the Russian geopolitical matters are not included in the help to Italy, provided for the fight against the coronavirus.