OPCW Ready to Examine Samples Proving Chemical Weapons’ Use by Terrorists in Syria

The Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) is ready to examine samples provided by Russia proving the use of chemical weapons in Syria’s Aleppo by terrorists.

“The Organisation for the Prohibition for Chemical Weapons (OPCW) recently received an offer from Russian authorities to provide some samples and other material in relation to an incident of the use of chemicals as weapons in Aleppo. These samples and other material may be of use in the ongoing work of the OPCW Fact-Finding Mission,” the organization said in a statement.

 On Tuesday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said that Moscow is considering the possibility of delivering independently gathered toxic substances used by militants in Aleppo to The Hague for analysis. He noted that the collected samples left “no doubt” that the toxic substances were used by militants from eastern Aleppo. The Russian diplomat added that OPCW experts were requested to visit Aleppo to verify the information.

Due to the security situation in Aleppo, the OPCW proposed the Russian Foreign Ministry to receive the samples in Damascus or The Hague, the OPCW added.

Earlier this month, the Russian Defense Ministry said that samples taken in Syria’s city of Aleppo prove that militants used chlorine gas in their attacks.

 Despite numerous reports of militants’ use of chemical weapons, the OPCW-UN Joint Investigative Mechanism (JIM) expert panel recently released the fourth report, which, in particular, claimed that the Syrian government had used chemical weapons in the country.

H.M