AU condemns use of chemical weapons in Syria, calls for lasting political solution

The African Union has issued a strongly worded statement condemning the use of chemical weapons in Syria and cautioning against responding without ‘incontrovertible evidence’ and compliance with international law.

The United States, Britain and France launched military air strikes on multiple government targets in Syria in the wee hours of Saturday morning in response to a suspected chemical weapons attack that killed dozens of people last week.

Moussa Faki, Chairperson of the African Union (AU) Commission, shared the official statement of the continental body on his Twitter account.

The statement asked members of the United Nations security council to put aside their differences and pursue global peace.

‘‘In the face of this dire situation, the only sensible course of action is the intensification of international efforts to find a lasting political solution based solely on the interests of the Syrian people and respecting the territorial integrity of Syria.’‘

3/4Africa expects UNSC members,especially the Permanent ones,to put aside their differences,spare no effort in the pursuit of global peace+ Humanity’s common good,in line with the responsibilities conferred upon them by the UN Charter.The #Syrian people have suffered far too long

— Moussa Faki Mahamat (@AUC_MoussaFaki) April 15, 2018

The AU statement follow Algeria’s ‘regret of the airstrikes’ and Egypt’s condemnation of the use of chemical weapons in Syria.

Inspectors from the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, arrived in Syria on Saturday to investigate the site of the April 7 attack in the Damascus suburb of Douma, which killed dozens.

British prime minister, Theresa May, however told legislators sitting in an emergency debate on Syria on Monday, that the inspectors have been blocked from accessing the site by the Russians.