Work well done for eliminating Assad’s chemical arsenal
Amid its unceasing and unrelenting efforts to eliminate Syria’s chemical weapons program, the United States of America today announced that finally it has finished neutralizing the regime’s deadliest chemical weapons aboard the Cape Ray Milestone in Eliminating Syria’s Chemical Weapons Program
In a press statement in Washington DC, US Secretary of State John Kerry said even amid a civil war, the US removed and have now destroyed the most dangerous chemicals in the regime’s declared stockpiles.
However, Secretary Kerry highlighted that amid the work well done in eliminating the regime’s chemical arsenal, but much more work must be done.
More relevant works to be done
According to Secretary Kerry, still the international community has important questions with regard to discrepancies and omissions related to Syria’s chemical weapons declaration.
“Second, Syria must complete the destruction of its remaining chemical weapons production facilities within mandated timelines.” – Secretary Kerry
And finally, the US reiterated that it remains deeply concerned by reports of systematic use of chlorine gas in opposition areas, as described by the fact-finding mission of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons. Each and every one of these issues must be fully resolved.
Secretary Kerry: Assad regime’s brutality must come to an end
Secretary Kerry emphasized that Assad must stop killing its people.
“Assad lost any legitimacy to lead Syria long before he gassed his own people to death.” – Secretary Kerry
He underscored that the United States will continue to provide political, financial, and other support to the moderate opposition because it is committed to help those who seek the right of all Syrians to choose a future of peace and oppose the violent extremists who exploit the chaos and ruin that Assad has brought to Syria.
Looking back
In 2013, Assad launched a bone-chilling, deadly chemical weapons attack that killed more than 1,000 innocent Syrians, including so many children in the suburbs of Damascus.
The memory still lingers until now that shocked the world. That is why the US is determined to destroy it for the thought is unfathomable if it continues to exist in civil war-stricken nation.
US aid to Syria
In November 2012, the United States of America provided $30 million in additional humanitarian assistance to respond to the needs of Syrian people affected by the turmoil.
In Syria, the additional funding will allow for provision of food aid to families in need.
In neighboring countries, the additional assistance from the United States will provide food supplies, hot meals, and food vouchers for families who have fled the violence in Syria.
In addition, the additional assistance will be provided through the World Food Program (WFP), which is providing food aid to 1.5 million people in Syria and the refugees who have fled to neighboring countries.
The United States is the largest donor of food aid for those affected by the conflict in Syria through WFP.
In August 2012, with the violence engulfing Syria, the United States of America has announced an additional $12 million in humanitarian assistance, bringing the total amount of U.S. emergency aid to more than $76 million.
The U.S. government continues to place on ending the escalating violence which has uprooted hundreds of thousands of Syrians.
The humanitarian needs continue to grow whre the number of Syrians displaced to neighboring countries now exceeds 130,000, with nearly 1.5 million in need inside Syria, including UN-estimated one million internally displaced persons.
The Syrian violence has led a crisis on a humanitarian scale that is of the highest priority within the U.S. government, and for which the US pledges to continue to provide support.
In April 2012, with the deteriorating situation in Syria due to turmoil, the United States of America has bolstered efforts to provide humanitarian assistance to people affected by the conflict in the country.
The UN estimates that there are over 2 million Syrians inside Syria in urgent need of humanitarian assistance. Of that number, it’s an estimated 300,000 internally displaced.
United States has dedicated some $33 million to support the important work to assist and protect those in need in Syria and neighboring countries, and much more is on the way.
The violence in Syria, which began in March 2011 as a protest movement similar to those witnessed across the Middle East and North Africa, has claimed over 150, 000 lives, mostly civilians, and displaced tens of thousands.
