Syria Discovers Remnants of Former Chemical Weapons Program

A Syrian official informed Reuters on Tuesday that the transitional leadership has located remnants of the covert chemical weapons program previously managed by former President Bashar al-Assad. The discovery includes raw materials and munitions similar to those used in lethal gas attacks during the country's prolonged conflict.

Mohamed Qatoub, Syria's permanent representative to the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons in The Hague, stated in an interview that Syrian authorities have also detained 18 individuals suspected of involvement in Assad's chemical weapons program. Among those arrested are senior military, political, and technical officials.

Regarding the search for chemical weapons, Syria has accused Israeli attacks of obstructing these efforts.

In October of the previous year, participants at the international conference on chemical weapons in Syria called on member states of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons to enhance comprehensive accountability for chemical crimes.

The conference recommended intensifying legal and institutional efforts to ensure justice for victims and emphasized the importance of strengthening international cooperation on chemical weapons issues.