The deadliest chemical weapons attack in the Syrian civil war since 2013, it prompted a direct U.S. military strike on a Syrian air base.
Key Facts
- Date of attack
- 4 April 2017
- Deaths (minimum)
- 89 people
- Injured
- 541+ people
- Agent used
- Sarin or similar nerve agent
- U.S. cruise missiles fired
- 59 at Shayrat Air Base
- Responsibility attributed to
- Syrian Arab Republic government forces
By the Numbers
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
During the Syrian civil war, government forces conducted airstrikes on the opposition-held town of Khan Shaykhun in Idlib Governorate. The OPCW-UN Joint Investigative Mechanism later determined that sarin linked to Syrian government stockpiles was disseminated, based on the presence of marker chemicals PF6, isopropyl phosphates, and isopropyl phosphorofluoridates in collected samples.
On 4 April 2017, an airstrike struck Khan Shaykhun, releasing sarin or a similar toxic gas. The attack killed at least 89 people and injured more than 541, according to the Idlib Health Directorate. It was the deadliest use of chemical weapons in Syria since the Ghouta attack of 2013, and was attributed to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's forces by multiple Western governments and human rights organizations.
On 7 April 2017, the United States launched 59 Tomahawk cruise missiles at Shayrat Air Base, which U.S. intelligence identified as the origin of the attack. The Syrian government denied involvement, calling the attack a fabrication, while Russia claimed the incident was staged. The OPCW-UN JIM formally attributed responsibility to the Syrian government.
Belligerents & Mobilization Analysis
Side A
1 belligerent
Side B
1 belligerent