The Syrian Government’s Use of Chemical Weapons

PR-1333E | Date: 08/31/2013

On the morning of August 30 in Washington, DC, United States Secretary of State John Kerry announced the release of a detailed intelligence assessment demonstrating the Syrian government's responsibility for the use of chemical weapons on the outskirts of Damascus on August 21.

This attack against the Syrian government's own citizens was, in the words of Secretary Kerry, “a moral obscenity.”

While the United States respects and supports the work of the UN team gathering additional evidence of the regime's use of chemical weapons and their lethal effect on hundreds of civilians, it already is clear that the government conducted this attack. The regime must be held accountable for its actions.

The United States condemns the Syrian government's use of chemical weapons and urges the international community to hold the regime accountable for this violation of a bedrock international norm.

The detailed intelligence assessment is attached to this press release.

• Intelligence Assessment (PDF, 49 KB)