The Italian government on Thursday hailed a global watchdog's report which for the first time blamed the Syrian airforce for three chemical weapons attacks on a village in the western Hama region in 2017.
"Italy welcomes the first report of the OPCW Investigation and Identification Team," said a statement by the foreign ministry referring to the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons.
Italy's government "is deeply concerned by its (the OPCW report's) findings on the use of chemical weapons by the Syrian Arab Air Force," the statement added.
The Italian government "condemns in the strongest terms all use of chemical weapons – especially against civilians - and calls for those identified responsible to be held accountable for the acts described in the report," the statement added.
The statement reiterated Italy's support for the implementation of the Convention for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons and urged nations ensure that all violations of the Convention "receives adequate response".
Italy expressed "full support" for the OPCW, whose Executive Council it has chaired since 2018.
Military planes and a helicopter dropped bombs containing poisonous chlorine and sarin nerve gas on March 24, 25 and 30 in the town of Ltamenah in 2017, according to the OPCW's report. Over 100 people were affected by the attacks, whose targets included a hospital.
President Bashar al-Assad's government and Syria's military backer Russia have steadfastly denied using chemical weapons and accuse rebels of staging attacks to implicate Syrian forces.
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