Doctors Without Borders weighs in with casualty numbers in Syrian Chemical Attack

Among the many groups and many NGO's operating around the world, there are a few I support. There are fewer still I've ever sent money to and I can count on my fingers with some to spare, how many I would be willing to volunteer time with. Doctors Without Borders qualfies in all 3 ways. To hear them say this, I don't consider it fuzzy or a big maybe for facts anymore.

They do not and cannot say to know WHO did it. That isn't the point or even why I post this. It's a solid piece of confirmation from a source that has credibility outside of and independent from any one nation or agenda here. They are, to my knowledge of them as a group, as opposed to the fighting and ANY fighting from ANY side as Vets for Peace are in their own way (And those guys make Quakers look violent).

Three hospitals in Syria's Damascus governorate that are supported by the international medical humanitarian organization Doctors Without Borders Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) have reported to MSF that they received approximately 3,600 patients displaying neurotoxic symptoms in less than three hours on the morning of Wednesday, August 21, 2013. Of those patients, 355 reportedly died.

Since 2012, MSF has built a strong and reliable collaboration with medical networks, hospitals and medical points in the Damascus governorate, and has been providing them with drugs, medical equipment and technical support. Due to significant security risks, MSF staff members have not been able to access the facilities.

They presented like chemical strike victims to all they came in contact with ........

“Medical staff working in these facilities provided detailed information to MSF doctors regarding large numbers of patients arriving with symptoms including convulsions, excess saliva, pinpoint pupils, blurred vision and respiratory distress,” said Dr. Bart Janssens, MSF director of operations.

Patients were treated using MSF-supplied atropine, a drug used to treat neurotoxic symptoms. MSF is now trying to replenish the facilities’ empty stocks and provide additional medical supplies and guidance.

Source

and they treated like chemical attack victims.

As the saying goes...if it walks and quacks like a duck? Well.... I hope for the sake of humanity, this is the last release of that demon into the world. I know it's an empty hope in the long term, but perhaps this can be the only case in this fight?

Proof of the use of chemical agents is not proof of who used them ! Its funny we see how many children were harmed but not how many militants.

And what was gained by this action ?.....did Assad's troops gain any ground ?......No. I would have thought if you had cleared an area with this kind of weapon, that area would be yours......this stinks.

reply to post by ken10


The proof of side, or complete lack thereof, is why I chose to share this atop other threads dealing with aspects of the same event. This group is apolitical and truly, honestly IS in deed as well as word. By their deeds and history, they have a record of being a source to pay attention to.

I do notice a couple things... The casualty counts vary radically, depending on source reporting them. (Again, why this seemed worth sharing) but also, what caught your eye as well. There wasn't a mass of FSA fighters who went down, flailing in pain and dying in the street...as you might expect a military force to do with a weapon. However, this report just shows that discrepancy without looking to expand on it. Indeed..It's what makes Doctors Without Borders the neutral party they so often manage to be.