WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, released the following statement on the latest deadly attack in Syria.
“I am deeply alarmed by reports this morning of another chemical weapons attack on a town in Idlib Province, which so far has killed dozens of innocent Syrian civilians including children. Based on initial reporting, it appears this attack was carried out with a chemical nerve agent delivered by aircraft. Only the Assad regime operates aircraft and have been confirmed to have used air-dropped chemical weapons.
“The Assad regime committed to destroy its chemical weapons program when it joined the Chemical Weapons Convention in 2014. Today’s attack is another in the long list of war crimes and crimes against humanity the Assad regime has committed, including the repeated use of chemical weapons. The Assad regime has been able to avoid consequences for these actions, aided and abetted by Russia and Iran.
“Make no mistake: The Assad regime is deliberately testing the new Administration and its resolve. In the absence of a comprehensive policy for Syria, we have been left with troubling statements from Administration officials about Assad’s role in Syria’s future and blaming the previous Administration.
“The world is watching. The United States must lead the international community and insist on holding Assad accountable for his war crimes and crimes against humanity.
“I hope the Administration will clarify its position on Assad. He has no role in a future Syria.”
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