Saudi, Qatar praise UN decision to probe Syria war crimes

Two major Arabian Gulf states have today lauded the UN General Assembly’s decision to set up an investigative team to probe war crimes allegations in Syria.

Saudi Arabia and Qatar, two of the wealthiest regional powers, both praised the decision that was passed despite Russian and Iranian objections who fear that their Syrian ally President Bashar Al-Assad may be further implicated in war crimes and crimes against humanity.

Qatar’s ambassador to the UN, Aliya Al Thani, described the resolution as “a message to all those who violate human rights that they will be brought to justice no matter how long it takes.”

Al Jazeera cited First Secretary Manal Ridwan of the Saudi delegation said that her country hoped that the resolution would act as a deterrent against further war crimes against the Syrian people, and that it would contribute in reducing Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ (IRGC) presence in the country.

The IRGC has been actively involved in the fighting in Syria, with one of its most senior commanders, Qassem Soleimani, recently photographed touring the devastated city of Aleppo. Iran-sponsored Shia militias have also been active in fighting in Aleppo, reportedly killing women and children.

The Assad regime has been accused by the UN, the United States, United Kingdom and many others of having deployed and used chemical weapons to kill thousands of Syrians. The most infamous case was during the Ghouta attack in August 2013 that killed more than 1,700 people.

Although US President Barack Obama’s “red line” of chemical weapons had been crossed, the US has since been repeatedly accused of doing nothing to prevent further attacks.

Russia brokered a deal for Syria to destroy its chemical weapons stockpile, but the Assad regime has reportedly used chemical weapons as recently as in its assault on Aleppo and during its botched defence of Palmyra that was recently retaken by Daesh.