UN confirms use of chemical weapons in Syria

Ake Sellstrom (L), Head of the United Nations Mission to Investigate Allegations of the Use of Chemical Weapons in the Syrian Arab Republic, hands his report over to Secretary-General of the United Nations Ban Ki-moon at the United Nations headquarters in New York December 12, 2013. [Photo/Agencies]

UNITED NATIONS - The joint team of the United Nations-Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) said on Thursday it "concludes that chemical weapons have been used in the ongoing conflict between the parties in the Syrian Arab Republic."    

The conclusion was contained in the 82-page final report of an international probe into the alleged chemical weapons attacks in Syria.  

The report was posted on the website of the UN Office for Disarmament Affairs shortly after it was presented to UN Secretary- General Ban Ki-moon here by Ake Sellstrom, the head of an international probe into the alleged use of chemical weapons attacks in the Syrian conflict, which has been going on for more than two years.    

Ban told reporters here that he will brief the UN General Assembly on the report Friday and the UN Security Council Monday.

UN spokesman Martin Nesirky said earlier it was up to the Security Council to determine what, if any, course of action was necessary.