On April 4, Syria was hit with one of the worst chemical attacks the country has ever experienced. More than 80 people were killed in the rebel held town of Khan Sheikhoun. Many witnesses report seeing warplanes flying above the city. One witness even reports seeing one of the planes actually drop a bomb on a one-story building. The bomb let out a “yellow mushroom” that stung the eyes of anyone in the vicinity. Anyone not protected in a building was affected by the gas, falling to the ground and some even dying. The people that were not killed by the gas were found on the ground unable to move with constricted pupils. Many of the people affected by the gas were children. Their symptoms included redness of the eyes, foaming from the mouth, constricted pupils, blue facial skin and lips, severe shortness of breath and asphyxiation.

This is not the first chemical attack against the Syrian people, but it is the worst. In previous chemical attacks, chlorine gas was used and only killed a handful of people each time it was used, and usually only in small spaces. This most recent attack was more devastating, killing and injuring people even outside. Doctors treating the patients agree that the gas most likely contained a nerve agent that caused the symptoms of the patients. The most serious patients were given an antidote to Sarin chemicals, which is commonly used in nerve agents. These patients are now recovering. Hospitals are now testing samples taken from victims in order to confirm if this was in fact a nerve agent in the gas used to bomb citizens.

It is suspected that the attack was carried out by the Syrian government, as they are the only ones with the means or motivation to bomb the rebels. There has been no confirmation, but the Syrian government has been accused of using chemical warfare on its citizens before. Syria has been involved in a six year long civil war against its own citizens. During this time, the Syrian government, as well as its ally Russia, have denied any use of chemical attacks. Russia has also stood behind Syria’s explanation that they did bomb close to Khan Sheikhoun, but were attacking an area with a large terrorist group.

In response to these chemical attacks, the United States reacted by firing 59 Tomahawk missiles to the Al Shayrat airfield. The missiles did not hit any Syrian government buildings or war bases.