UN in security talks with Syria as chemical probe put on hold

beirut — UN security experts have said they were negotiating with Syrian and Russian authorities for international chemical inspectors to deploy to the site of an alleged toxic gas attack near Damascus, after a reconnaissance mission came under fire.

The team from the world’s chemical arms watchdog has not yet been able to begin its field work in Douma, where dozens were killed in a suspected April 7 gas attack, as Western powers warn that President Bashar Al Assad’s regime may attempt to remove crucial evidence.

The United Nations Department of Safety and Security (UNDSS) said it was trying to make arrangements for the fact-finding experts to travel to Douma “at the earliest possible time”, according to a report to the Security Council obtained by AFP.

“UNDSS in Damascus is now engaged in further discussions and coordination with representatives of the Syrian Arab Republic and the Russian military police on how to enhance and reinforce security arrangements in specific locations in Douma,” it said.

A team from the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons arrived in Syria just hours after unprecedented US-led strikes on regime targets on Saturday, launched in response to the alleged gas attack. But the watchdog on Wednesday said safety fears had hampered plans for the experts to travel to Douma, a town that was controlled by rebels until Russianbacked regime forces fully retook it last week. The United States, France and Britain have accused Assad’s regime of carrying out the suspected chemical attack, but Russia and Syria deny toxic gas was used in Douma.

According to the UN report, a security team travelled to two sites on Tuesday escorted by Russian military police.

At the second location, “there was an explosion followed by smallarms fire directed at (the) UNDSS team and the Russian military police,” said the report, adding that the team had returned safely to Damascus. OPCW chief Ahmet Uzumcu said the incident highlighted “the highly volatile environment” in which the fact-finding team had to work. —

UNDSS in Damascus is now engaged in further discussions and coordination with representatives of the Syrian Arab Republic and the Russian military police UN Dept. of Safety and Security

AFP Syrian refugees evacuated from the southern Lebanese village of Shebaa ride in a bus through the Masnaa crossing on the LebanonSyria border leading to Damascus, to return home to their village of Beit Jinn in the southwestern Damascus countryside. —