China, Russia push to prevent Daesh using chemical weapons in Syria

China and Russia have introduced a draft UN resolution aimed at preventing extremist groups like Daesh and al Qaeda-linked Nusra Front from developing or using chemical weapons in Syria, South China Morning Post reported on Thursday.

Russia’s UN Ambassador Vitaly Churkin said on Wednesday the proposed Security Council resolution will fill the “missing link” in current resolutions and could serve as a deterrent because “if terrorists plan to use chemical weapons, in our experience, sometimes they try to blame the Syrian government.”

“Our hope is that if they know that we are monitoring their activities, the incentive to use chemical weapons in the hope that the responsibility for that can be shifted elsewhere ... will diminish,” Churkin said.

Churkin said there have been numerous reports recently “of terrorist groups in Syria and neighbouring Iraq using chemical weapons.”

He cited a report just a few days ago from Deir el-Zour, where government-held areas are blockaded by Daesh militants, and a recent report from Aleppo “where terrorists used chemical weapons and actually admitted to their use.”

There are also numerous reports that extremists may be preparing chemical weapons, he said.

Churkin said suspicions of possible chemical weapons use by Syria are already under investigation by the chemical weapons watchdog and international weapons inspectors, but there has been no reporting on alleged use of these deadly weapons by “terrorist” groups, he said.

Source : MENA