Syria and France mark the 13th anniversary of the chemical attack in Eastern Ghouta, Damascus
Syria and France issued a joint statement today, Friday, on the 13th anniversary of the chemical attack that targeted Eastern Ghouta and Muadhamiyat al-Sham in the Damascus countryside on August 21, 2013, as the two countries commemorated the victims.
The statement said that the two countries extend their sincerest condolences to the families of the victims, and reaffirm their shared commitment to supporting efforts to uncover the truth, achieve justice, and hold those responsible for these crimes accountable.
During the period from late 2012 until the fall of the regime in December 2024, Syria witnessed more than 200 chemical weapons attacks, resulting in the deaths of more than 1,500 people, including women and children.
Syria and France renewed their shared commitment to combating impunity, in honor of the victims and in triumph of the principle of accountability. In this context, Syria submitted an application to join the International Partnership to End Impunity for the Use of Chemical Weapons, a step welcomed by France, as it represents a clear commitment to strengthening accountability and justice and confronting impunity.
This step comes in the wake of the historic visit by French President Emmanuel Macron to Syria on July 6 and 7, which inaugurated a new chapter in Syrian-French relations and affirmed the shared will to overcome the legacy of the tragic phase Syria experienced and to open a new page based on cooperation and mutual respect.
The statement added that Syria and France seize this occasion to emphasize the importance of the role played by the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) in uncovering the facts related to the former regime’s chemical weapons program, identifying and verifying the remaining elements of this program, and working to destroy them, in cooperation with Syria.
The two countries also welcomed Syria’s recent restoration of its full rights and privileges in the OPCW, and affirmed their support for the organization’s efforts to address outstanding files, thereby contributing to strengthening the chemical weapons ban regime, consolidating the principle of non-impunity, and ensuring that such crimes are not repeated.
