Chemical weapons watchdog condemns their use in Syria

The Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons on Friday condemned the use of the banned weapons in Syria and called on the government to allow inspections of sites of concern.

In a statement, the OPCW’s Executive Council called on all parties identified in a joint investigation with the United Nations to immediately stop using chemical weapons.

A joint investigation by the U.N. and OPCW found that the Syrian government and the Islamic State group have both used chemical weapons and toxic chemicals as weapons in violation of international law.

The OPCW expressed its sympathy for the victims of the attacks and stressed that “every actor involved in these chemical weapons attacks should be held responsible.”

The Syrian government has denied using chemical weapons. Syria’s close ally Russia, which holds a veto on the U.N. Security Council, has said they were not convinced by the evidence turned up by the joint investigation and will not allow for the Mideast nation to be sanctioned.

The joint investigation between the OPCW and the U.N. was developed to determine who exactly has been responsible for the use of chemical weapons in Syria’s five-year-long civil war.

The investigation’s mandate is set to expire next week and diplomats say Russia will likely block an extension.

Samantha Powers, the U.S. ambassador to the U.N., tweeted that the OPCW’s statement condemning the Syrian government for the first time proves that the weapons were used.