In a statement from his spokesperson, the Secretary-General expressed heartfelt condolences to the victims of the incident and their families.
Imperative to hold perpetrators accountable
While the UN has said that it is not in a position to independently verify these reports, the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) is currently in the process of gathering and analysing information to confirm if chemical weapons were used.
The OPCW is the implementing body of the Chemical Weapons Convention, which aims to eliminate an entire category of weapons of mass destruction by prohibiting the development, production, acquisition, stockpiling, retention, transfer or use of chemical weapons by States Parties.
Preliminary information indicates a number of civilian casualties, including children.
