Last week, Assad fled to Russia after rebel forces seized control of the Syrian capital, ending decades of rule by the Assad family.
During his rule, Human Rights Watch documented at least 85 chemical weapons attacks in Syria, the majority of which it said were carried out by the Syrian government – something they have denied.
Victims of the chemical attacks have been speaking to the BBC, including Tawfiq Diam, whose wife and four children were killed in 2018.
In 2013, Cameron said use of chemical weapons by the Syrian government was “morally indefensible” and asked MPs to approve the principle of taking military action to deter further use of such weapons.
The military action would have taken the form of US-led air strikes rather than an on the ground invasion.
The motion was defeated by 285 votes to 272, with Labour, 30 Conservatives and nine Lib Dems voting against.
Following the vote, Cameron said it was clear Parliament did not want to take action and that he would “act accordingly”.
Although then-US President Barack Obama has said the he would punish any use of chemical weapons by Syria, he did not act, in part because of a lack of support from other allies including the UK.
Conservatives expressed anger at the time, accusing Miliband of initially promising Cameron his support but later changing his mind.
There were reports Miliband had been warned that if he backed military action he could face a rebellion from his own MPs, many of whom were still bruised by the Labour government’s involvement in the 2003 invasion of Iraq.
Source:
www.bbc.com
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