Latest news with #chemicalweapons
Asharq Al-Awsat
3 days ago
- Politics
- Asharq Al-Awsat
Barrack Says Trump's Vision for Syria is Hopeful and Achievable
US Special Envoy to Syria Thomas Barrack has said that President Donald Trump's vision for Syria 'is not only hopeful but achievable.' 'Spent the afternoon at the White House with President Trump and Secretary of State (Marco) Rubio discussing Middle East affairs that all relate to Türkiye and Syria. I can assure you the President's vision with the Secretary's execution is not only hopeful but achievable,' Barrack said on X on Saturday. Meanwhile, Syrian state news agency (SANA) said that the US Senate approved on Saturday a decision to remove Syria from the long-standing list of so-called 'rogue states.' The White House posted on X that Syria had been on the list alongside Iran, North Korea, Cuba, Venezuela, and other countries, and now it is removed. The list, which has been used by the US for nearly three decades, targets countries accused of hostility to American interests, support for terrorism, pursuit of weapons of mass destruction, or serious human rights violations. Also Saturday, Britain welcomed the Syrian government's commitment to cooperation with the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW). A post on the British Foreign and Development Office website via X read that the UK welcomes the Syrian government's strong commitment to turning the page on history, and its determination to ensure the complete destruction of the chemical weapons program dating back to the Assad era. The ministry added: 'We are encouraged by the operational and logistical support Syria has provided for OPCW visits and its commitment to engaging with the international community.'
Telegraph
5 days ago
- Politics
- Telegraph
A nuclear strike on Britain is a real possibility. We must accept that calmly
The Strategic Defence Review announcement this week that the MoD and the NHS must prepare for nuclear attack and that the British Army must be able to fight and survive in a radiation contaminated environment has caused some upset and alarm. President Putin has just told Donald Trump he will exact severe revenge on Ukraine for destroying his nuclear bombers: there are those who fear that he might follow through on previous nuclear threats. Certainly, when the 'N' word is mentioned, amongst the uninitiated or those with overactive imaginations, panic ensues. We should not panic, but the Kremlin's regular nuclear threats towards London and Kyiv – and Russia's massive use of chemical weapons in Ukraine – must be taken seriously: very seriously. But when I say there is no call for panic, I am confident. I have dealt with real world chemical attacks and I am well versed in the realities of dealing with nuclear strikes. All threats can be mitigated. It is the threat we miss, or think too difficult to counter, that is likely to cause us strategic upset. The threat we have not mitigated today is that of a tactical nuclear strike against Ukraine – or against Britain. Putin would be likely to calculate that we would not launch a massive strategic counterstrike, probably resulting in Armageddon, in response to such an attack. And we have no credible tactical nuclear options, having unwisely decommissioned these in 1997 as part of the 'peace dividend'. Funnily enough it was also in 1997 that the Ukrainians gave up their nuclear weapons, a decision they surely regret now. Let us hope that talk of the UK acquiring F-35A jets armed with tactical nuclear weapons leads to some action: this would be a credible deterrent against a tactical attack. Alongside this, we must indeed prepare again, as we did in the Cold War, to survive and operate after a nuclear and or chemical strike. The MoD and NHS have been directed to stockpile kit to show not least to the Russians that we are resilient to such an attack, creating doubt in the Kremlin as to how effective it might be. The Strategic Review puts domestic production of military kit at the heart of the overall strategy, and for once this is not a problem. Britain is fortunate that in Avon Protection in Wiltshire we have the leading manufacturer of gas masks on the planet, providing the US, the UK, most of Nato and now also the Ukraine army with respirators. We also have Kromek plc in Durham who are the world leaders in radiation detection and monitoring. These two essential firms will help a lot in delivering the level of resilience required to put the Russians off – and hopefully the levels of assurance to calm the panickers at home. We live in extraordinary times and with Presidents Trump and Putin calling the shots, unfortunately anything is possible, including nuclear attack. Let us hope that this time Trump can pull Putin back from the brink, and we can bring the nuclear balance in Europe back to equilibrium.
Washington Post
28-05-2025
- Business
- Washington Post
EU lifts most Syria sanctions but slaps new ones on alleged culprits in attacks on Alawite civilians
PARIS — The European Union lifted a wide range of sanctions on Syria on Wednesday, but slapped new ones on people and groups it says participated on attacks on civilians during a wave of violence in the Syrian coastal region in March. The move lifted most sanctions that had been imposed on the country, including on its financial system, while keeping them in place on individuals and organizations in Syria it says violated human rights or for 'security grounds,' like the extended family of former President Bashar Assad or its chemical weapons program, according to the text of the European Council on the decision.
BBC News
23-05-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
US knack sanctions ontop Sudan say dem use chemical weapons for dia war
Di US go impose new sanctions on Sudan afta dem find say dem use chemical weapons last year in di ongoing civil war against di Rapid Support Forces (RSF), di state department don tok. US exports to di kontri go dey restricted and financial borrowing limits go dey in place from 6 June, statement from tok-tok pesin Tammy Bruce read. In response a Sudanese govment tok-tok pesin strongly condemn di move by Washington, describe am as a "deliberate distortion of facts concerning di situation in Sudan". Both di Sudanese military and di paramilitary group di RSF don dey accused of war crimes during di conflict before now. More dan150,000 pipo don die during di conflict, wey start two years ago wen Sudan army and di RSF begin one brutal struggle for power. In recent months, Sudan military don recapture di capital of Khartoum, but fight dey kotinu for anoda place. No detail dey about which chemical weapons di US say dem find, but di New York Times bin report in January say Sudan bin use chlorine gas on two occasions, wey cause different painful and damaging effects and fit dey fatal. Dis, dem tok say bin don dey for remote areas wey dem no give dia names. Dem neva share share any visual evidence so far as proof of di weapons as e don dey used in di current war in Sudan. "Di United States call on di govment of Sudan to cease all chemical weapons use and uphold im obligations under di CWC," di statement read, referring to di Chemical Weapons Convention under which signatories don commit to destroy dia stockpiles of di weapons. Nearly evri kontri in di world - including Sudan - don agree to di CWC, apart from Egypt, North Korea and South Sudan according to di Arms Control Association, a US-based non-partisan membership organisation. Israel don sign di agreement but no ratify im signature, dis mean say dem neva legally confam dia involvement in di treaty, di ACA add. "Di United States remain fully committed to hold to account those wey dey responsible for di contribution to chemical weapons proliferation," Bruce add. Dis no be di first time wey di US don impose sanctions in Sudan. In January, dem knack leaders of both parties wey dey di konflict wit sanctions. Sudan military leader Abdel Fattah al-Burhan bin chop accuse say e dey "destabilise Sudan and undermine di goal of a democratic transition" by di US, wey di kontri foreign ministry condemn as "strange and troubling". Meanwhile, di head of di RSF Mohammed Hamdan Daglo, wey also dey known as Hemedti, dey determined to get perpetrated genocide in di kontri by former secretary of state Antony Blinken. Di RSF don deny dis charges. Di rival forces don dey struggle for power for di past two years, displace around 12 million pipo and leave 25 million to need food aid, more dan double di population of London. New sanctions go get small effect on di kontri sake of dis prior measures, according to di AFP news agency. Dis latest US move dey come as tensions over di alleged involvement of di United Arab Emirates in di conflict. Di UAE and Sudan bin don maintain diplomatic ties until earlier dia month wen di Sudanese govment allege say di UAE bin provide arms to di RSF, allegation wey UAE deny. Following US President Donald Trump warm reception in di Gulf state last week, Democrats in Congress dey try to block di sale of arms from di US to di UAE in part sake of im alleged involvement in di conflict. One Sudanese diplomatic source bin tell news agency Reuters say di US don impose di new sanctions "to distract from di recent campaign in Congress against di UAE". Earlier dis month, one top UN court bin reject Sudan bid to sue di UAE for genocide.
Asharq Al-Awsat
23-05-2025
- Politics
- Asharq Al-Awsat
US to Impose Sanctions on Sudan After Finding Government Used Chemical Weapons
The United States said on Thursday it would impose sanctions on Sudan after determining that its government used chemical weapons in 2024 during the army's conflict with the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, a charge the army denied. Measures against Sudan will include limits on US exports and US government lines of credit and will take effect around June 6, after Congress was notified on Thursday, State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce said in a statement. "The United States calls on the Government of Sudan to cease all chemical weapons use and uphold its obligations under the CWC," Bruce said, referring to the Chemical Weapons Convention treaty banning the use of such weapons. In a statement, Sudan rejected the move, and described the allegations as false. "This interference, which lacks any moral or legal basis, deprives Washington of what is left of its credibility and closes the door to any influence in Sudan," government spokesperson Khalid al-Eisir said on Friday. The war in Sudan erupted in April 2023 from a power struggle between the army and the RSF, unleashing waves of ethnic violence, creating the world's worst humanitarian crisis and plunging several areas into famine. Tens of thousands of people have been killed and about 13 million displaced. Washington in January imposed sanctions on army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, accusing him of choosing war over negotiations to bring an end to the conflict. The US has also determined members of the RSF and allied militias committed genocide and imposed sanctions on some of the group's leadership, including RSF leader General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, known as Hemedti. Bruce's statement said the US had formally determined on April 24 under the Chemical and Biological Weapons Control and Warfare Elimination Act of 1991 that the government of Sudan used chemical weapons last year, but did not specify what weapons were used, precisely when or where. "The United States remains fully committed to hold to account those responsible for contributing to chemical weapons proliferation," Bruce said.
