Responding to chemical weapons violations in Syria: legal, health, and humanitarian recommendations

Conflict and Health
Julia BrooksFrederick M Burkle

Abstract

The repeated use of prohibited chemical weapons in the Syrian conflict poses serious health, humanitarian, and security threats to civilians, healthcare personnel, and first responders. Moreover, the use of chemical weapons constitutes a clear and egregious violation of international law-likely amounting to a war crime-for which continued impunity is setting a dangerous precedent in relation to current and future conflicts. This debate article calls upon concerned states, organizations, and individuals to respond urgently and unequivocally to this serious breach of international legal and humanitarian norms. Based on health, humanitarian, and legal findings, this article calls for concrete action to: 1) reduce the risk of chemical weapons being used in current and future conflicts; 2) review and support the preparedness equipment and antidote supplies of first responders, humanitarian organizations, and military forces operating in Syria; 3) support international mechanisms for monitoring and enforcing the prohibition on chemical weapons, including through criminal accountability; 4) support civilian victims of chemical weapons attacks, including refugees; and 5) re-commit to the complete elimination of chemical weapons in comp...Continue Reading

References

Nov 30, 2011·Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness·Robert S HoffmanLewis Goldfrank
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May 5, 2016·Chemico-biological Interactions·Helen RiceJohn E H Tattersall
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Feb 24, 2017·PLoS Currents·Frederick M BurkleNobhojit Roy
Oct 31, 2017·BMJ Global Health·Jenevieve Mannell, Sarah Hawkes
Dec 19, 2018·Conflict and Health·Dilshad Jaff

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Citations

Apr 2, 2020·Molecules : a Journal of Synthetic Chemistry and Natural Product Chemistry·Dietrich E LorkeGeorg A Petroianu
Jul 25, 2020·Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness·Michael A DeLucaTimothy B Erickson
Jul 14, 2018·Toxicology Communications·Peter R ChaiEdward W Boyer
Nov 14, 2020·Critical Reviews in Toxicology·Maria Alozi, Mutasem Rawas-Qalaji
Apr 4, 2021·International Journal of Molecular Sciences·Dietrich E LorkeGeorg A Petroianu

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