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Brende condemns gas attack as being ‘bestial’

Minister of Foreign Affairs Børge BrendeMinister of Foreign Affairs Børge Brende

Minister of Foreign Affairs, Børge Brende, in the strongest terms condemn the alleged use of chemical weapons in Syria.

– It is bestial. It is absolutely terrible, says Brende to NTB after a meeting with EU foreign policy Minister Federica Mogherini in Brussels Tuesday evening.

He stressed that it is not yet possible to ascertain who is behind the attack that took place on Tuesday morning.

According to UN information an airborne attack was made with chemical weapons. The attack occurred near Khan Sheikhun in the rebel controlled province of Idlib. Exile group SOHR report that at least 58 people died in the attack.

Brende stressed that the use of chemical weapons is a violation of the Geneva Convention.

– Those behind the attack will be held accountable, he said.

The Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) will now investigate the incident. Brende says Norway will await the investigation.

– It is absolutely undeniable, that the Syrian President, Bashar al-Assad, has used chemical weapons against his own population before. We know this as a fact; we have condemned him, and what he is responsible of, before, he points out.

 

Source: NTB scanpix / Norway Today