Syria Destroys Assad-Era Chemical Weapons

Syria has begun destroying remnants of a clandestine chemical weapons program from the rule of Bashar al-Assad that the country’s new authorities recovered in May. The operation marks the first verified destruction of chemical munitions in Syria since 2014.

Izumi Nakamitsu, the UN high representative for disarmament affairs, told the Security Council that the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) had verified the irreversible destruction of 42 aerial bombs. Syria has since found an additional chemical weapons production facility, a previously undiscovered chemical used to produce nerve agents and empty chemical munitions. Authorities have also identified two chemical weapons storage facilities.

Syrian Ambassador to the UN Ibrahim Olabi described the operation as a contribution to regional and global security. He accused Israel of hampering efforts to locate and destroy chemical weapons through repeated attacks and putting Syrian teams at risk. The Israeli military did not immediately comment.

Syria is preparing for the first court hearing involving people suspected of involvement in Assad’s chemical weapons program. Authorities earlier this year detained 18 suspects, including senior military, political and technical officials.

(Reuters, sab)