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S/2016/888 6/15 16-18485 No. 1 in Qmenas, identified in annex VII to the third report. Although the Panel was close to having sufficient information to reach a conclusion on the actors involved at the time of submission of the third report, it could not confirm whether the device used had contained explosives or chlorine. 19. The Leadership Panel determines that there is now sufficient information to conclude that the incident at impact location No. 1 was caused by a Syrian Arab Armed Forces helicopter dropping a device from high altitude, which hit the ground and released the toxic substance that affected the population. 20. This conclusion is based on the following additional assessments: • Two witnesses, who indicated having been a short distance away from location No. 1 at the time of the impact, reported a foul or strong odour that emerged immediately after the impact of a device that had been dropped from a helicopter. The witnesses also reported eye and skin irritation, a feeling of suffocation and coughing. • This testimony was consistent with information concerning the patients who arrived on the evening of 16 March 2015 in the Sarmin hospital from Qmenas showing symptoms relating to chlorine exposure. They also reported that the clothes of those who arrived at the hospital smelled of chlorine. • Witnesses who visited impact location No. 1 described the remnants and reported discolouration of vegetation at the location. The discolouration visible on the photographs taken at impact location No. 1 was confirmed by forensic analysis. Furthermore, a vegetation index analysis using satellite pictures showed a patch of less healthy vegetation at that location. • In addition to the witness statements and information from other sources regarding a helicopter flying over Qmenas at the time of the incident, analysis by a defence research institute of the photographs showing the remnants and the impact location found that the crater was likely to have been caused by a device dropped from a high altitude, possibly more than 1,000 m, on to a hard surface. Such a flight would have been in the coverage area of the Syrian Arab Armed Forces radar. • The Leadership Panel reiterates that, having reviewed all the information gathered, it found no evidence that armed opposition groups in Qmenas had been operating a helicopter at the time and location of the incident. Binnish, Idlib governorate, 24 March 2015 21. The Leadership Panel, having examined the information regarding the incident in Binnish on 24 March 2015, previously confirmed the existence of a canister with traces of chlorine or a chlorine-like substance. At the time of submission of the third report, the Mechanism was awaiting information and the forensic analysis of material received in order to clarify certain inconsistencies in the information before it. 22. The Leadership Panel reviewed and analysed additional information and the results of forensic analysis, including metadata of media files, and determined that the inconsistencies previously identified were due to the existence of more than one event occurring in close sequence from 23 to 25 March 2015. The events include