Advertisement

  1. National

'Neurotoxic' attack in Syria

Medecins Sans Frontieres says doctors have treated about 3,600 patients in Syria with 'neurotoxic symptoms' and that 355 of them died. It suggests there are strong indications that chemical weapons have been used.

View all 55 updates ›

MSF: Use of neurotoxic agents in Syria breaks law

Medecins Sans Frontieres says there is strong evidence that the “large number of patients” doctors have treated in Syria were exposed to a “neurotoxic agent”.

Medical staff working in these facilities provided detailed information to MSF doctors regarding large numbers of patients arriving with symptoms including convulsions, excess saliva, pinpoint pupils, blurred vision and respiratory distress.

The reported symptoms of the patients... strongly indicate mass exposure to a neurotoxic agent. This would constitute a violation of international humanitarian law, which absolutely prohibits the use of chemical and biological weapons.

– Dr Bart Janssens, MSF director of operations

More on this story