Konflikten i Syrien

7. CONCLUSIONS

7.1 As with other allegations investigated by the FFM, the team was not able to visit a secured site immediately after the alleged incident. The potential for access was made more difficult as the area was predominantly a military area with ongoing conflict prior to the alleged incident, through to the time at which this report was being drafted. The team therefore relied on the testimony of interviewees, samples as made available by the interviewees, and limited hospital records.

7.2 The FFM had limited access to associated medical records and was unable to visit hospitals that may have admitted patients. Interviewees gave a consistent narrative of the incident, the reported medical signs and symptoms, and the way samples were collected. The FFM was able to place witnesses at the site at the time and correlate their medical assessment. Based on these factors, the FFM determined that 11 people displayed medical signs and symptoms associated with exposure to a chemical that primarily irritates tissue such as eyes, nose, throat, and lungs.

7.3 Through interviews and review of video evidence supplied at interview, the FFM was able to determine that environmental samples, including cylinders, were retrieved from the site of the allegation.

7.4 The FFM determined that chlorine, released from cylinders through mechanical impact, was likely used as a chemical weapon on 4 February 2018 in the Al Talil neighbourhood of Saraqib. This conclusion is based on:
(a) the presence of two cylinders, which were determined by the FFM as previously containing chlorine; (b) the testimony of witnesses, who identified the cylinders as impacting the location on 4 February 2018; (c) environmental analyses, demonstrating the unusual presence of chlorine in the local environment; and (d) a number of patients who presented for treatment at medical facilities shortly after the incident, and showed signs and symptoms of irritation of tissue, which were consistent with exposure to chlorine and other toxic chemicals.

7.5 The FFM also noted the presence of chemicals that can neither be explained as occurring naturally in the environment nor as being related to chlorine. Furthermore, some of the medical signs and symptoms reported were different to those that would be expected from exposure to pure chlorine. There was insufficient information and evidence to enable the FFM to draw any further conclusions on these chemicals at this stage.

1.5 The FFM also noted the presence of chemicals that can neither be explained as occurring naturally in the environment nor as being related to chlorine. Furthermore, some of the medical signs and symptoms reported were different to those that would be expected from exposure to pure chlorine. There was insufficient information and evidence to enable the FFM to draw any further conclusions on these chemicals at this stage.

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5.30 The FFM attributed the difference between testimony and records as a lapse of memory with respect to detail and assigned greater credibility to the documented numbers. These are the numbers indicated in Figure 7 below.

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5.36 No biomedical samples were taken.