Syria declares 4 more chemical-weapons facilities, UN reveals

Associated Press

UNITED NATIONS

Syria has declared four chemical-weapons facilities it hadn’t mentioned before, a special representative of the U.N. secretary-general told the Security Council on Tuesday. The news heightened concerns that the Syrian government hasn’t been fully open about its chemical-weapons program.

Diplomats said Sigrid Kaag told them during closed consultations that three of the facilities are for research and development and one is for production, and that no new chemical agents have been associated with the four sites.

The U.S. ambassador to the U.N., Samantha Power, tweeted: “Must keep pressure on regime so it doesn’t hide CW capability.”

A joint mission between the U.N. and the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons was tasked last year with eliminating Syria’s chemical-weapons program after the Security Council found rare agreement on Syria. The deal was reached under threat of U.S. airstrikes after images of civilian victims laid out after an attack on a Damascus suburb shocked the world. President Bashar Assad’s government denied involvement and blamed rebel groups.

The joint U.N.-OPCW mission has said all 1,300 tons of declared chemical weapons have been removed, and attention now turns to destroying Syria’s chemical weapon facilities.

Concerns remain that Syria has not made a full declaration of its chemical weapons. The United States has said it is worried that the Islamic State group, which has seized large parts of Syria, and other terrorist groups could get hold of chemical weapons if Syria is hiding any stockpiles.