Syrian Gas attack

The Bashar-al-Assad regime has done it again. At least 80 Syrian residents including children and women were killed on Saturday in chlorine gas attack by Assad regime in Syria’s rebel-held eastern neighborhood of Ghouta. Voluntary medical groups like the White Helmets, the Douma Coordination Committee and the Ghouta Media Center said toxic gas inside barrel bombs dropped by helicopters over Douma caused deaths and suffocate and choke people. The Syrian regime has been repeatedly accused of using chemical weapons, with the United Nations among those blaming government forces for a deadly sarin gas attack on the opposition-held village of Khan Sheikhun in April 2017. Graphic images showed people, including children, apparently dead and injured — some with some kind of spittle or foam in their mouths in makeshift medical centers. On February 18, the Assad forces bombarded parts of Ghouta killing around 500 persons. Those killed included 127 children and 75 women. The tragic stories heard from residents (as reported in the media) are among the worst during the entire war. Horrific television images of children with barrettes in their hair, diapered bodies limp and nearly lifeless, hanging over a loved one’s outstretched arms speak volumes about the inhumanity and bestiality being practiced by the Assad government against unarmed civilians. Though the deadly attacks by Assad regime are not new in Syria but this is for the first time that horrible images of the affected people have been witnessed live by the world. These images should now force the world to face a moment of decision. For years, the world has talked about how horrible they are, passed resolutions about their barbarism and even spoken of “red lines,” while little actually ever happened to stop them. The United Nations found evidence of “chlorine gas attacks on civilians” by the Syrian air force in Syria between 2014 and 2015. The latest pictures documenting their savagery make them far harder to ignore. The world should shun its obsession with ISIS and Al Qaeda and concentrate on the real enemy of humanity—Bashar al Assad. The United States owes more to the hapless and innocent civilians of Syria as the war is only and only America’s doing. They should account Assad government for the crimes it is committing against innocent civilians. So far we heard only statements of condemnation by American President Donald Trump. But Syria needs actions beyond condemnation. Donald Trump, who shares good relations with Russian President Putin, should take up the Syrian case with him as well and persuade the Russian government to withdraw support to Syrian government. Iran claims to be an Islamic country but it has a reprehensible record of supporting inhuman actions of Bashar al Assad. Iran’s support to Assad government is quite intriguing. How a country claiming to be Islamic would support a murderer of humanity? The Assad forces earlier devastated the Aleppo city even in more brute manner. The Assad forces entered the homes of civilians, raped women and killed dozens. Many a women were reported to have committed suicide for the fear of being raped. Videos shot inside the city showed scenes of horrific destruction and human misery caused by intense bombing. Scores of bodies remained trapped under rubble for weeks. Assad, a criminal and terrorist by his actions and intent, is using all atrocious means and weapons to kill civilians. According to media estimations over 5 lakh people have died in Syria since the eruption of popular uprising against Assad regime in 2011. The country’s majority population seeks restoration of democracy, which has been under Assad’s family rule for the past more than 40 years. Iran’s support to the crimes of Bashar al Assad has dented its image in the Muslim world. Iranian government will do a lot of service to its own nation if it uses its influence in Syria to stop the brutalities of Assad regime. Iran’s religious leadership should take lead and impress upon its government to withdraw support to Assad or, at least, stop him from killing innocent civilians