OPCW says undeclared chemical weapons found in Syria
QAMISHLI, Syria (North Press) – The Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) on Wednesday said an expert team deployed in Syria discovered a significant quantity of previously undeclared chemical weapons, related materials and documents linked to the former Assad government’s chemical weapons program.
The findings were published in the OPCW’s monthly Syria update report issued on May 26, following a deployment carried out since early May in coordination with Syrian authorities.
According to the OPCW, the mission focused on high-priority sites in areas stretching between Hama, Homs and Latakia, regions that remained under former government control throughout much of Syria’s conflict.
The organization said inspectors found dozens of undeclared chemical munitions, including aerial bombs similar to those used in the Ltamenah attack in 2017 and the Khan Shaykhun chemical attack the same year. Rockets resembling those used in the Ghouta chemical attack in August 2013 were also discovered.
The mission additionally recovered quantities of chemicals, related equipment and thousands of pages of documents connected to Syria’s chemical weapons program.
OPCW Director-General Fernando Arias said the findings confirmed long-standing concerns that the former Syrian government concealed parts of its chemical weapons activities and attempted to mislead the international community.
A nine-member OPCW team is continuing investigations under the Chemical Weapons Convention and UN Security Council Resolution 2118.
The OPCW said Syrian authorities have cooperated with the mission and are expected to declare and destroy the newly identified materials under international verification.
Following the fall of the Assad government in December 2024, OPCW teams intensified efforts to identify remaining chemical weapons sites and verify Syria’s compliance with international obligations.