On its fourth anniversary, the chemical massacre in Douma does not leave the minds of Syrians

The memory of the massacre of the chemical attack in the city of Douma, which was perpetrated by the Syrian regime headed by Bashar al-Assad, is still stuck in the minds of the victims’ families and those who witnessed it.. Learn about the chemical massacres carried out by the Assad regime in Syria since 2011.

On the seventh of April 2018, the chemical weapons attack on the city of Douma occurred during the forced evictions from Eastern Ghouta, which had been besieged by the regime forces and their supporters for 5 years.

The massacre claimed 78 civilians, in addition to the damage of hundreds, most of them children and women, who were forced to flee after receiving treatment, and after 5 days, Russia announced that the regime had imposed its control over Douma and the entire Eastern Ghouta.

The Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons confirmed in early March 2019 that Assad had used chemical weapons in Douma, but international courts are still unable to prosecute the regime that committed war crimes.

Because Syria is not a member of the International Criminal Court, and because Russia and China protect the Assad regime and veto any resolution against it in the Security Council, the regime can escape accountability before the law.

Russia and China used the veto in favor of Assad 16 times during the meetings of the UN Security Council, including 6 times in sessions devoted to discussing chemical weapons attacks.

Chemical massacres carried out by the Assad regime

The first major massacre carried out by the Assad regime with chemical weapons was on August 21, 2013, when it targeted Eastern Ghouta with chemical weapons, killing more than 1,400 civilians.

On April 4, 2017, the Assad regime targeted the town of Khan Sheikhoun with chemical weapons again, and in the attack, at least 100 civilians were killed and more than 500 others were wounded.

According to the Syrian Network for Human Rights, the Assad regime has launched 217 chemical weapons attacks on opposition-held areas since the start of the internal war in Syria in 2011.