FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Four years ago today, the Assad regime murdered more than 1,400 Syrians using the chemical agent sarin in the Damascus suburb of Ghouta. In response to Assad’s brutality, the international community undertook considerable steps to dismantle the regime’s chemical weapons program with the determination to prevent Assad from ever using such atrocious weapons again.

Despite these efforts, Assad has not relented his reign of terror and has continued to use chemical weapons in his attacks against his own people. The world was horrified when, on April 4, Syrian aircraft dropped sarin gas on the town of Khan Sheikhoun, killing as many as 100 people and injuring hundreds more, many of them children.

Through our previous actions and warnings to Assad, the United States has conveyed the grave seriousness with which we view chemical weapons use. We will not tolerate the use of chemical weapons, and those responsible for their use must be held accountable.

The international community must work together to ensure that chemical weapons use does not continue and that the victims of chemical weapons attacks will not be forgotten.

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