On 4 April 2017, an attack was alleged to have taken place in Khan Sheikhoun, Syria. A crater at the scene of the attack was suspected to be that of a chemical bomb.
The dimensions of impact craters can be analysed by weapons experts to draw conclusions about the type of munitions that caused them. Forensic Architecture (FA) constructed a 3D model of the crater to support that analysis.
Using footage taken on the ground by both civilians and journalists and a computational technique known as photogrammetry, we constructed a model from which we were able to take the required dimensions.
Our work supported a report by Human Rights Watch that accused the Syrian government of ‘widespread and systematic use’ of chemical weapons.