Lebanon.-The White House today confirmed the intelligence community's assessment that the Assad regime has used chemical weapons, including the nerve gas sarin, resulting in the deaths of at least 100-150 Syrian people, a conclusion reached previously by the Syrian opposition and corroborated the international community.
 
In response the Administration also announced the decision to provide direct military support to the Supreme Military Council and to provide increased amounts and types of support to the Syrian Coalition. The Syrian Coalition welcomes increased U.S. assistance including direct military support. The support should be strategic and decisive in order to force an end to the violence and to achieve a political transition and improve chances of a successful Geneva II conference.
 
"President Obama's leadership, as well as direct US support of all kinds, is necessary in order to create the conditions on the ground required to enable the implementation of a negotiated settlement," said Dr. Najib Ghadbian, Special Representative from the Syrian Coalition to the United States.
 

The Syrian Coalition's Statement on the Human Rights Council Resolution

The Syrian Coalition welcomes the resolution issued by the Human Rights Council in today's session.  The Syrian Coalition also embraces countries that voted in favor of this resolution as it proves that the overwhelming majority of the international community is committed to dealing with Assad’s record of gross human rights violations against Syrians calling for freedom and dignity.

The Syrian Coalition reaffirms the commitments made in the statement issued on June 5, 2013, and renews its call for the Commission of Inquiry on Syria to fully carry out its mission in accordance with the stipulations of today's resolution. This resolution mandates that the Commission enters liberated zones in order to conduct its inquiries. The Syrian Coalition and its forces pledge that they will provide all necessary technical and logistical aid to the Commission's team.

The Syrian Coalition considers today's resolution an important step towards stripping the Assad regime of its legitimacy and boosting international recognition of the Syrian Coalition as the sole legitimate representative of the Syrian people.  Civilians are waiting in anticipation for this resolution to put a stop to the bloodshed and realize its aspirations.