Syria: Chemical Weapons Concerns - UNODA Briefing | United Nations

High Representative for Disarmament Affairs Izumi Nakamitsu said, “the current Government of Syria has been working with the OPCW Technical Secretariat to obtain clarifications on the full extent and scope of the programme developed by the previous Government and ensure Syria’s long-term compliance with the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC).” Nakamitsu briefed the Council on the implementation of Security Council resolution 2118 (2013) on the elimination of the chemical weapons programme of the Syrian Arab Republic. She said, “the OPCW Technical Secretariat shares that, following an improvement in the regional security situation that permitted a safe and secure resumption of operations, the OPCW Technical Secretariat recommenced its deployments to the Syrian Arab Republic, in coordination with the Syrian National Authority.” At the beginning of May 2026, a team from the OPCW Office of Special Missions (OSM) deployed to the Syrian Arab Republic to advance efforts to establish a complete and accurate inventory of the remnants of the chemical weapons programme developed by the previous Syrian Government. This deployment focused on several high-priority, undeclared sites in the northern coastal and central areas of the country, broadly within a geographic triangle encompassing Hama, Homs, and Latakia. Visits to these sites were conducted in full coordination with the Syrian National Authority and with substantial support from the relevant Ministries of the Syrian Government. The High Representative said, “the findings include dozens of chemical munitions previously undeclared to the OPCW, including the same type of aerial bombs that were used in the chemical attacks in Ltamenah in March 2017 and Khan Shaykhun in April 2017. Rockets were also found, of the same type as those that were used in the chemical weapons attack in Ghouta in August 2013.” Nakamitsu added, “the OPCW further reports that findings include quantities of separately stored chemicals and related equipment, which is currently being analysed, and thousands of pages of documentation.” She highlighted that the OPCW Technical Secretariat has further emphasized the importance of effective support from the current Syrian Government, adding “this cooperation will remain critical going forward, as the newly discovered elements now need to be declared and destroyed, under the OPCW Technical Secretariat’s verification.” The High Representative continued, “further investigations and deployments to additional sites will be required in order to discern the full scope of the chemical weapons programme developed by the previous Government.” She reiterated, “given the risks posed by any remaining elements of the chemical weapons programme, these steps must be completed with urgency.”


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