Chemical weapons inspectors have uncovered a significant cache of previously undeclared chemical weapons in Syria - including rockets of the same type used in the notorious 2013 Ghouta attack. UN disarmament chief Izumi Nakamitsu called it a 'momentous discovery' for international security.
Nakamitsu briefed the Security Council on Thursday on the findings by the UN-backed Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), which deployed a team to Syria in May. Inspectors found undeclared chemical munitions, related materials and extensive documentation.
'These findings are a momentous discovery, not just for Syria, but for international security and the global disarmament regime,' Nakamitsu told the Council.
Since 2014, the OPCW had been unable to confirm that Syria’s declaration - submitted by the government of ousted President Bashar al-Assad - was accurate or complete. The new Government led by President Ahmed al-Sharaa has cooperated closely with inspectors, facilitating access to sites and providing documentation that made the breakthrough possible.
Nakamitsu stressed that the newly discovered weapons must now be formally declared and destroyed under OPCW verification.
Syria’s representative to the UN described the find as a 'decisive turning point' and a 'major leap forward in delivering accountability,' noting that his Government had facilitated 32 visits by OPCW inspectors and handed over more than 60,000 pages of documents.
'Syria suffered from chemical weapons for more than 12 years,' he said. 'Today, it is committed to rid itself of its legacy.'
Several Council members praised the progress. The United Kingdom said the findings 'provide further proof of Assad’s attempt to actively deceive the international community,' while the United States praised the 'adaptability, flexibility and a shared commitment' shown by Syria and the OPCW.
France cautioned that the discovery is 'only just beginning to reveal the extent of the program hidden from the international community.' Denmark warned that 'the task ahead remains complex.'
Russia’s delegate questioned the OPCW's speed in assigning blame, urging a 'depoliticised manner.' Türkiye called the discoveries a 'stark reminder of the scale of repression and suffering inflicted on the Syrian people by the former regime.'