Secretary of State Mike Pompeo confirmed on Sept. 26 in New York that the Syrian regime had attacked one of its provinces with a chemical weapon.
Since the Syrian Civil War began in 2011, President Bashir al-Assad’s Arab Socialist Ba’ath regime has engaged in chemical warfare against the extremists and rebels, with countless civilians caught in the crosshairs. President Donald Trump has already ordered strikes against Assad’s forces twice for their use of weapons of mass destruction.
“The United States will not allow to go unchallenged, nor will we tolerate those who choose to conceal these atrocities,” said Pompeo at the Palace Hotel.
Pompeo said the United States has imposed sanctions on Russian entities that “support Assad’s brutal war machine” by assisting Russian military forces in Syria with shipments of jet fuel.
In addition to the sanctions, Pompeo said the State Department will provide $4.5 million to investigate Assad’s use of chemical weapons.
“We agree on the importance of justice for the victims of Assad’s atrocities and accountability for those who are responsible,” he said. “We agree on the need for a political solution to end the conflict that is in line with U.N. Security Council Resolution 2254.”
The secretary summed up the press conference by urging the Assad regime to release American prisoners like freelance journalist Austin Trice who was reporting in Syria when he was kidnapped seven years ago.
“Finally, the Trump Administration never forgets about Americans wrongfully detained nor held hostage abroad.
“We call upon the Syrian regime to release them all,” he said.
