Social media campaign against Assad’s use of chemical weapons

Social media activists launched a campaign on Friday against the use of chemical weapons by the Syrian regime of Bashar Al-Assad in besieged Eastern Ghouta on the outskirts of Damascus, Anadolu has reported. The campaign calls upon the international community to work to prevent the regime from using such weapons again.

According to Anadolu, the activists were prompted by the alleged use of chlorine gas by the regime which caused serious breathing difficulties for dozens of civilians.

On Thursday, the US State Department expressed its concerns about the use of chemical weapons in Ghouta. It noted that, if confirmed, the latest allegation would mean that gas has been used three times in the area over the past 30 days alone.

Read: US says Syria may be developing new types of chemical weapons

Since the start of the Syrian conflict in 2011, the Syrian regime has used chemical weapons dozens of times, causing thousands of casualties. The most prominent occasion was in August 2013, when more than 1,400 people were killed in Ghouta. Last April, more than 100 were killed in Khan Sheikhoun.

Several resolutions have been issued by the UN Security Council condemning the Syrian regime for using these internationally-banned weapons.