עברית
World News
Syria Says Secret Site Tied to Chemical Weapons Materials Was Discovered
Syria’s representative to the global chemical weapons watchdog said authorities have uncovered a site containing raw materials used to make chemical bombs. According to him, the site was used by the military of deposed dictator Bashar al-Assad. Eighteen people allegedly involved in concealing the materials have been arrested.
- שלומי דיאז
- | Updated
Materials for making bombs previously found in Syria (Photo: Shutterstock)Reuters reported today (Tuesday) that authorities in Syria have located remnants of the Assad regime’s secret chemical weapons program. According to the report, Mohammed Katoub, Syria’s representative to the UN’s Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), said that among the items found were raw materials and munitions similar to those used by the Assad regime to carry out the deadly chemical attacks during the civil war.
Katoub also said that 18 suspects allegedly involved in the program have been arrested by the country’s new authorities, including senior military officials, government figures, and technology experts.
As a reminder, during the civil war the Assad regime carried out several attacks using chemical weapons in rebel-controlled areas. The American newspaper "The New York Times" revealed an intelligence report last year stating that more than 100 chemical weapons sites remained in Syria, and that they had belonged to Assad’s army. The concern is that those sites could fall into the hands of terror organizations and various militias still operating in Syria.
Western intelligence officials believe the suspected sites mainly contain sarin gas and chlorine gas, both of which Assad used in the past in his fight against rebels and Syrian civilians during the civil war.
