Context: Recently, The global chemical weapons watchdog for the first time explicitly blamed Syria for toxic attacks, saying President Bashar al-Assad's air force used the nerve gas sarin and chlorine three times in 2017.
Issue

• The Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) has blamed Syria explicitly for the first time for toxic attacks of 2017. 
• Syria’s President Bashar al-Assad’s air force has been accused of using the nerve gas sarin and chlorine three times in 2017. 
• The attack had killed hundreds of people and caused injuries to many. 
• The use of chemical weapons is strictly prohibited by international law.

About Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW)

• It is an international organization established by the Chemical Weapons Convention, 1997 to implement and enforce the terms of the non-proliferation treaty, which prohibits the use, stockpiling, or transfer of chemical weapons by signatory states.
• It is authorized to perform inspections to verify that signatory states are complying with the convention.
• It includes a commitment to grant inspectors full access to chemical weapons sites.
• It also performs testing of sites and victims of suspected chemical weapons attacks.
• It was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2013. Its headquarters are located in The Hague, Netherlands.
• It established OPCW Investigation and Identification Team (IIT) in 2018 to identify the perpetrators of illegal attacks.
• By the 2001 Relationship Agreement between the OPCW and the United Nations, the OPCW reports on its inspections and other activities to the UN through the office of the Secretary General.

Working Areas of Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW)

1. Demilitarisation: Under the provision of Chemical Weapons Conventions, organisation verifies the destruction process for the safety of people and on protecting the environment.
2. Non-proliferation: It is one of the fundamental tenants of the Chemical Weapons Conventions and in this regard OPSW keep on checking that if any country engage or induce or encourage in any prohibited activity to a State Party under the convention should be banned.
3. Assistance & Protection against Chemical Weapons: Member States are bound to provide assistance & protection to the fellow members States threats by the use of chemical weapons or attacked with chemical weapon.
4. International Cooperation: The objective of the Convention to ban chemical weapon in the pursuit of peace through international cooperation among States parties.
5. Universal Adherence to the Convention: Adherence to the Chemical Weapons Convention demonstrates a state's commitment to disarmament and international co-operation, and helps to reinforce its position in the mainstream of international politics. It builds confidence and transparency in security-related policies at regional and international levels.

About Sarin Gas

• It is a chemical warfare agent classified as a Nerve Agent.
• They are similar to certain kinds of insecticides (insect killers) called organophosphates in terms of how they work and what kind of harmful effects they cause.
• It was originally developed in 1938 in Germany as a pesticide.
• It is a clear, colorless, and tasteless liquid that has no odor in its pure form. However, it can evaporate into a vapor (gas) and spread into the environment. It is also known as GB.
• Chlorine gas: Chlorine is a choking agent. Its greenish-yellow clouds of gas cause shortness of breath, wheezing, respiratory failure, irritation in the eyes, vomiting, and sometimes Death.