Syria has begun destroying remnants of the chemical weapons programme left by former President Bashar al-Assad, marking the first OPCW-verified destruction of chemical munitions inside the country since 2014. UN disarmament chief Izumi Nakamitsu told the Security Council on Thursday that inspectors had verified the irreversible destruction of 42 aerial bombs during an August mission, moving a long-unresolved disarmament file into a practical disposal phase.
The operation follows discoveries announced in May by Syria's new authorities, including chemical materials and previously undeclared munitions. Nakamitsu said Damascus had since identified an additional chemical weapons production facility, a newly discovered chemical used to make nerve agents, empty munitions and two storage facilities holding newly found items.
Syria's UN ambassador Ibrahim Olabi said the work was taking place under inspection by experts from the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons. He described it as the first such process since Assad's government fell in December 2024 and said its purpose was to protect Syrians while preventing dangerous materials from reaching unauthorized groups, thereby reducing risks beyond Syria as well.
The OPCW said in July that Syria had amended its initial declaration, enabled verification visits and prepared agreements covering storage sites at Al Qutayfah and Homs. Its Executive Council approved a detailed plan for verifying the destruction of Category 3 chemical weapons at Al Qutayfah, a classification that includes unfilled munitions and equipment designed to deliver chemical agents.
The former Syrian government joined the Chemical Weapons Convention in 2013 after the deadly Ghouta attack and declared an arsenal that an OPCW-UN mission removed and destroyed outside Syria. However, the watchdog later confirmed chemical weapons use in the conflict and said the former authorities had failed to disclose the programme fully. Syria lost its OPCW voting rights in 2021, but the council restored them by consensus in July after citing renewed cooperation.
Olabi said Israeli attacks had delayed some searches and destruction visits, an allegation on which the Israeli military did not immediately comment to Reuters. He also said Syria was preparing a first court hearing for suspects linked to the programme; authorities had detained 18 military, political and technical figures earlier this year. The UN and OPCW say continued verification, complete declarations and secure destruction remain necessary to close the dossier.
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