International chemical weapons watchdog to send inspectors to Syria on fact-finding trip

The international chemical weapons watchdog said Tuesday it will send a fact-finding mission to the Syrian town where a suspected gas attack took place over the weekend, after receiving a request from the Syrian government and its Russian backers to investigate the allegations. In a statement, the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons said a fact-finding team is “preparing to deploy to Syria shortly.” It was not immediately clear whether the announcement would avert U.S. military action against Syria. President Donald Trump has vowed to respond “forcefully” to Saturday’s attack on civilians in the town of Douma, in the eastern Ghouta suburbs, and warned that Russia — or any other nation found to share responsibility — will “pay a price.” The OPCW, in its statement, said its technical Secretariat has asked the Syrian government to make the necessary arrangements for the deployment of a factfinding mission. The group is the implementing body for the Chemical Weapons Convention of 1997, which has been signed by 192. Syria became a member in 2013 as part of a deal brokered by the U.S. and Russia after a chemical attack in eastern Ghouta killed hundreds of people. That attack was widely blamed on government forces, who denied responsibility. Syrian opposition activists and paramedics said at least 40 people were killed in last weekend’s suspected chemical attack and blamed the government. The Syrian government and its Russian backers strongly deny the allegations, and have questioned whether a chemical weapons attack took place. Earlier Tuesday, Syria invited the OPCW to send a fact-finding mission to Douma, the last rebel stronghold in the eastern Ghouta suburbs. The Foreign Ministry said in a statement that the government will help the watchdog investigate the alleged attack. U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said Tuesday he is outraged by the reported attack, and that the use of chemical weapons would be a violation of international law. He also reaffirmed his support for an OPCW investigation. A senior Russian lawmaker said Tuesday that Moscow is willing to help arrange an OPCW visit to the site of the suspected attack. Yevgeny Serberennikov, from the defense committee at the Federation Council, told the RIA Novosti news agency that Russia is eager for the OPCW to “finally start carrying out the functions it was created for.” Asked whether she supports the idea, German Chancellor Angela Merkel responded unenthusiastically, saying “the evidence that chemical weapons were used there is very clear.” — Associated Press