syria-un-20170630 4

S/2017/567 4/80 17-11206 REPORT OF THE OPCW FACT-FINDING MISSION IN SYRIA REGARDING AN ALLEGED INCIDENT IN KHAN SHAYKHUN, SYRIAN ARAB REPUBLIC APRIL 2017 1. SUMMARY 1.1 The Fact-Finding Mission (hereinafter “FFM”) conducted a preliminary assessment of all available information immediately after reports of the incident in Khan Shaykhun, which, at the time of the incident, was not under the control of the Government of the Syrian Arab Republic, surfaced in the media on 4 April 2017. The nature and extent of the information available provided a credible basis for investigation, which resulted in the FFM being mandated to gather facts regarding this incident of alleged use of toxic chemicals as a weapon. 1.2 The FFM was led by and predominantly comprised of inspectors from the Technical Secretariat (hereinafter “the Secretariat”), and was supported by various other divisions and branches within the Secretariat. Interpreters were embedded in the team and were critical to the effective functioning of the mission. 1.3 With support as indicated above, the FFM made preparations to deploy. An advanced team departed within 24 hours of being alerted to the incident, with the main team departing 24 hours later to a neighbouring country, where casualties had been transported. 1.4 The conclusions were derived from analysis of biomedical specimens, interviews, and supplementary material submitted during the interview process. Additional data came from analysis of environmental samples. Evidence was cross-referenced and subsequently corroborated. 1.5 Whilst unable to visit the location shortly after the incident, the rapid deployment enabled the team to attend autopsies, collect biomedical specimens from casualties and fatalities, interview a wide variety of witnesses, and receive environmental samples. 1.6 The team received limited information on the dispersal mechanism and, therefore, was unable to make firm conclusions on that specific matter. However, the biomedical specimens, of which the FFM had full custody, provided incontrovertible evidence that people were exposed to sarin or a sarin-like substance. 1.7 The team concluded that a large number of people, some of whom died, were exposed to sarin. The release that caused exposure was likely to have been initiated in the crater in the road, located close to the silos in the northern part of the town. The team concluded that, based on such a release, the only determination that could be made was that sarin had been used as a weapon