Washington, July 10 (SANA)U.S. Special Presidential Envoy to Syria and Iraq Tom Barrack on Friday congratulated Syria on restoring its rights and privileges atthe Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW).

In a post on his official X account, Barrack said the milestone reflected the significant progress made by the Syrian government and its commitment to responsible engagement with the international community.https://twitter.com/USAMBTurkiye/status/2075481114525696332?s=20

The OPCW Executive Councilon Thursday adopted a resolution restoring Syria’s rights and privileges under the Chemical Weapons Convention. The move reflects international confidence in the changes Syria has undergone, as well as the efforts of its institutions to fulfill their obligations and engage constructively with the OPCW Technical Secretariat in addressing the legacy of the chemical weapons program dating back to the era of the former regime.

On April 21, 2021, OPCW member states decided to suspend some of Syria’s membership rights after the organization determined that the deposed regime had used chemical weapons in attacks against civilians in al-Lataminah, Hama Governorate, in March 2017, and in Saraqib, Idlib Governorate, in February 2018.

The Syrian Network for Human Rightsdocumented 217 chemical weapons attacks carried out by the deposed regime’s forces since 2011, resulting in thousands of deaths and injuries.

The most notable of these was the attack on Eastern Ghouta and Moadamiyah al-Sham on August 21, 2013, which killed more than 1,400 people, including hundreds of children and women, and injured more than 10,000 others.