UK, US and France Vow to Act Against New Syria Chemical Attacks

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The United States, Britain and France vowed on the fifth anniversary of a chemical weapons attack that they blame on the Syrian government to take action as they have in the past against any further attacks by President Bashar Assad's regime.

A joint statement issued late Tuesday called the Aug. 21, 2012 sarin nerve gas attack that killed hundreds of people in the Ghouta suburb of Damascus "horrific.'' The use of sarin led to a U.S.-Russian agreement to eliminate Assad's chemical weapons, which averted U.S. military strikes against Syria.

Since then, the three Western powers have accused Syria of resorting to the use of chemical weapons during military offensives in Khan Sheikhoun, Ltamenah, Saraqeb and Douma. Following the suspected chemical attack in Douma in April, the U.S., U.K., and France launched punitive military strikes in Syria.

"As we have demonstrated, we will respond appropriately to any further use of chemical weapons by the Syrian regime, which has had such devastating humanitarian consequences for the Syrian population,'' the statement said.

The three governments implored Assad's supporters "to recognize that the unchecked use of chemical weapons by any state presents an unacceptable security threat to all states.''

The U.S., U.K. and France also expressed grave concern at reports of a Syrian government military offensive against civilians, schools, hospitals and other civilian infrastructure in the northern province of Idlib, the last major rebel-held bastion, and underlined "our concern at the potential for further - and illegal - use of chemical weapons.''

"We remain resolved to act of the Assad regime uses chemical weapons again,'' the Western allies warned.

The 2012 U.S.-Russia agreement required Syria to join the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons and declare all its chemical weapons and precursors.