Syria begins destroying Assad-era chemical weapons

Syria has begun destroying remnants of a clandestine chemical weapons programme dating from the rule of former President Bashar al-Assad, which were recovered in May, a Syrian envoy and a United Nations representative said on Thursday.

The destruction marks the first such operation in Syria in a decade. Reuters reported in May that Syria’s new leadership had discovered remnants of Assad’s chemical weapons programme, including raw materials and munitions similar to those used in deadly gas attacks during the country’s civil war.

Izumi Nakamitsu, the UN High Representative for Disarmament Affairs, told the Security Council that, for the first time since 2014, the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) had verified the destruction of chemical munitions in Syria.

Following the May discovery, Syrian authorities identified an additional chemical weapons production facility, a previously unknown chemical used in the production of nerve agents and empty chemical munitions, Nakamitsu said.

Syria also declared two chemical weapons storage facilities where the newly discovered materials had been stored, she added.

Last month, the OPCW deployed a team to Syria to verify the destruction of category-three chemical weapons, which include unfilled munitions and other equipment used to release chemical agents. The team verified the “irreversible destruction of 42 aerial bombs”, Nakamitsu said.

Syria’s ambassador to the UN, Ibrahim Olabi, told the council that the country’s efforts were aimed at “protecting the world and the region”.

However, Olabi strongly criticised Israel, saying repeated Israeli attacks had disrupted some search-and-destruction operations and exposed Syrian teams involved in the work to danger.

“We cannot safeguard the security of the region if our security is exposed to attacks at the hands of Israel,” Olabi said, accusing Israel of undermining regional security and violating international conventions and treaties.

The Israeli military did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment.

Olabi also said Syria was preparing to hold the first court hearing for people suspected of involvement in the chemical weapons programme.

Syrian authorities earlier this year detained 18 suspects over alleged involvement in Assad’s chemical weapons programme, including senior military, political and technical officials.