Syria: Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shibani announced that the country is actively working to identify and prosecute officials from the Assad era who were responsible for a devastating chemical weapons attack in 2013. This attack, which occurred in Eastern Ghouta and Moadamiyeh in the Damascus countryside, tragically claimed the lives of more than 1,400 individuals.

According to Anadolu Agency, al-Shibani made these remarks in a statement commemorating the 13th anniversary of the attack. He emphasized that Damascus is committed to holding those accountable for the atrocities, with the intention of bringing them to trial. Additionally, Syria is collaborating with international partners to address the nation's historical issues with chemical weapons.

Al-Shibani stated that the ongoing efforts are aimed at delivering justice to the victims and reinforcing the principle of accountability. He stressed that the process will be conducted in accordance with legal frameworks. Annually, on August 21, Syrians remember the massacre, vowing that the memory will not fade and demanding justice for those who suffered.

This year, commemorative events are taking place across several governorates, particularly in Eastern Ghouta and Moadamiyah al-Sham. According to the Syrian Network for Human Rights, the Assad regime was responsible for 217 chemical weapons attacks on residential areas controlled by opposition forces after the revolution began in 2011.

The Assad regime was eventually overthrown by Syrian revolutionaries led by Ahmad al-Sharaa, who now serves as the country's president. The regime's fall in late 2024 marked the end of the Assad family's extensive reign over Syria.