Syria allows chemical weapons inspectors to access undeclared sites

A U.N. chemical weapons expert, wearing a gas mask, holds a plastic bag containing samples from one of the sites of an alleged chemical weapons attack in the Ain Tarma neighborhood of Damascus, Syria, Aug. 29, 2013. - Reuters
A U.N. chemical weapons expert, wearing a gas mask, holds a plastic bag containing samples from one of the sites of an alleged chemical weapons attack in the Ain Tarma neighborhood of Damascus, Syria, Aug. 29, 2013. - Reuters

DAMASCUS, Syria (North Press) – Syria’s caretaker government had escorted chemical weapons inspectors to previously unvisited production and storage sites from the era of Bashar al-Assad, Reuters reported on Friday.

Citing sources, Reuters added that a team from the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) was in Syria between March 12 and March 21, preparing for a mission to identify and dismantle illicit stockpiles left by the al-Assad regime.

The report noted that five inspectors visited various locations, some of which had been looted or bombed, while others were undisclosed sites that the al-Assad government had never declared to the OPCW.

The team gathered documents and detailed information on al-Assad’s chemical weapons program, according to the sources.

A Reuters report published last week stated that eliminating any remaining chemical weapons was among the conditions the United States set for lifting sanctions on Syria.

By Malin Muhammad