Trump urges UN to renew Syria chemical weapons probe

President Trump is calling on the United Nations Security Council to renew the investigation into the use of chemical weapons in Syria.

“Need all on the UN Security Council to vote to renew the Joint Investigative Mechanism for Syria to ensure that Assad Regime does not commit mass murder with chemical weapons ever again,” Trump tweeted Wednesday.

The 15-member council of leading UN countries is expected to vote Thursday on whether to renew the mandate for the Joint Investigative Mechanism (JIM), which expires at the end of the month. The team’s mission is to investigate any individuals, groups or government-related entities involved in using or gathering chemical weapons in Syria.

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The Security Council adopted a resolution calling for the formation of the JIM and the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) in 2015 after suspected chemical attacks by the regime of Bashar Assad. The OPCW later confirmed that Assad’s forces had dropped chemical bombs on civilians in towns in 2014 and 2015. 

To pass, the resolution must get at least nine votes in the Security Council and no vetoes.

Some American diplomats are worried Russia could block the renewal.

Russia, one of the Security Council’s permanent members, has veto power and is one of the Assad regime’s staunchest backers.