Weapon experts visit gas hit site
CHEMICAL weapons inspectors collected samples from Syria’s Douma on Saturday, two weeks after a suspected gas attack there was followed by retaliatory strikes by Western powers on the Syrian government’s chemical facilities.
The site visit, confirmed by the Organization of the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, would allow the agency to proceed with an independent investigation to determine what chemicals, if any, were used in the April 7 attack that medical workers said killed more than 40 people.
Douma was the final target of the government’s sweeping campaign to seize back control of the eastern Ghouta suburbs of Damascus from rebels after seven years of revolt. Militants gave up the town days after the alleged attack.
The US, France and Britain blamed the President Bashar Assad’s government for the attack, and struck suspected Syrian chemical weapons facilities one week later.
The Syrian government and its ally Russia denied responsibility for the attack.
OPCW inspectors arrived in Damascus just hours before the April 15 strikes but were delayed from visiting the site until Saturday, leading Western officials and Syrian activists to accuse Russia and the Syrian government of a cover-up.
“I won’t find any hope in my heart until the Assad regime is held accountable and eradicated from government in Syria,” said Bilal Abou Salah, a Douma media activist who left the town after the government takeover. He said he feared Russian and Syrian government personnel destroyed potential evidence in the two weeks since the alleged attack.
The OPCW said in a statement it visited “one of the sites” in Douma to collect samples for analysis at agency-designated
I WON’T FIND ANY HOPE IN MY HEART UNTIL THE ASSAD REGIME IS HELD ACCOUNTABLE AND ERADICATED FROM GOVERNMENT IN SYRIA
laboratories, adding it would “consider future steps including another visit to Douma”.
It said the mission will draft a report based on the findings, “as well other information and materials collected by the team”.
The OPCW mission is not mandated to apportion any blame for the attack.
A UN security team had scouted Douma on Tuesday to see if it was safe for weapons inspectors to visit. The team came under fire, leading the agency to delay its mission.
Images from Douma after the attack showed lifeless bodies in crowded rooms, some with foam around their noses and mouths.