War Crimes! Syria used chemical weapons during a ceasefire that helped them overtake a city controlled by rebels

State Department spokesman Mark Toner said Wednesday that he was aware of reports that the Syrian regime has used chemical weapons since signing a cease-fire agreement days ago. “We’re aware of their reports, we obviously can’t confirm them at this time,” Toner said, but condemned the use of chemical weapons regardless. “You know our policy is we strongly condemn any use of chemical weapons.” Toner said that the Organization for the Prohibition for Chemical Weapons (OPCW) would look into the reports and forward its findings to a United Nations investigative task force. “If [OPCW] can determine that a specific incident … has taken place … it’ll be referred to the Joint Task Investigative Mechanism that’s been established under U.N. Security Council Resolution 2235 for further investigation,” Toner said. The Obama administration has noted a “marked” de-escalation in violence between the Syrian regime and rebel groups since the ceasefire was signed. “Over the last 24 hours, we have not been apprised of any claims of any additional violations of any significance,” State Department spokesman John Kirby said Tuesday. The same day, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad said that the ceasefire gives Syria “a glimmer of hope.” He vowed that the regime would “do our part so that the whole thing works.” Assad has used chemical weapons against citizens “systematically and repeatedly,” most notably in August 2013, when the Syrian regime fired Sarin gas rockets at several Damascus suburbs and killed more than 1,400 citizens. The regime has used chemical weapons on numerous occasions since the attack, despite the Obama administration’s attempts to shut down Syria’s chemical weapons sites.