Commemoration of the 13th anniversary of the chemical attack against the people…

On the thirteenth anniversary of the chemical weapons attack that targeted Eastern Ghouta and Mouadamiyat al-Sham in the Damascus countryside on 21 August 2013, the Syrian Arab Republic and the French Republic commemorate the victims, extend their deepest sympathies and solidarity to their families, and reaffirm their joint commitment to supporting efforts to uncover the truth, ensure justice, and hold those responsible for these crimes accountable.

From late 2012 until the fall of the former regime in December 2024, Syria witnessed more than 200 chemical weapons attacks, resulting in the death of more than 1,500 people, including women and children.

Syria and France renew their joint commitment to combating impunity, in honour of the memory of the victims and in defence of the principle of accountability. In this context, the Syrian Arab Republic has submitted a request to join the International Partnership against Impunity for the Use of Chemical Weapons, a step welcomed by France as a clear demonstration of Syria's commitment to strengthening accountability and justice and combating impunity.

This step follows the historic visit by the President of the French Republic to Syria on 6 and 7 July 2026, which inaugurated a new chapter in Syrian-French relations and affirmed the shared determination to overcome the legacy of the tragic period Syria experienced under the former regime and to open a new page based on cooperation and mutual respect.

Syria and France take this opportunity to emphasise the importance of the role played by the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) in uncovering the facts related to the former regime's chemical weapons programme, identifying and verifying its remaining elements, and working towards their destruction, in cooperation with the Syrian Arab Republic.

They also welcome Syria's recent restoration of its full rights and privileges within the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons and affirm their support for the Organisation's efforts to address outstanding issues, thereby contributing to strengthening the chemical weapons prohibition regime, upholding the principle of accountability, and ensuring that these crimes are not repeated.