More than 100 chemical weapons sites are suspected to remain in Syria, left behind after the fall of former President Bashar al-Assad, inspectors from the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons said.
That number is the first estimate of its kind as the leading international organization that tracks these weapons seeks to enter Syria to assess what remains of al-Assad’s notorious military program, according to a report published by The New York Times.
It said the figure is far higher than any that al-Assad has ever acknowledged.
According to OPCW, the current estimate of more than 100 sites comes from the watchdog and has been circulated recently among experts and international nonproliferation analysts.
The organization said it had arrived at the number based on outside researchers, nonprofit groups and intelligence shared by its member countries.
The Times revealed that the sites are suspected to have been involved in the research, manufacturing and storage of chemical weapons.
Assad used weapons like sarin and chlorine gas against opposition fighters and Syrian civilians during more than a decade of civil war, it noted.
“Some sites are probably hidden in caves or other places that are tough to find using satellite images, according to researchers, former organization staff members and other experts. That increases the likelihood that some weapons are not secured,” the newspaper wrote.
Assad-led Syria joined the agency under a US-Russian deal following a 2013 sarin gas attack that killed hundreds. Around 1,300 metric tons of chemical weapons and precursors were destroyed.
During the past decade, Syrian officials under Assad stonewalled OPCW inspectors. The number of sites, and whether they are secured, has been a mystery since opposition forces toppled al-Assad last year, The Times said.
It said that in the early years of the civil war, Assad’s government declared the locations of 27 sites to the OPCW, which sent inspectors to visit and shut them down. But Assad continued to use chemical weapons until at least 2018, and research showed that his government kept importing essential precursor chemicals.
Inspectors had warned that the weapons are deadly, particularly when used in densely populated areas.
Sarin, a nerve agent, can kill within minutes. Chlorine and mustard gas, weapons made infamous in World War I, burn the eyes and skin and fill the lungs with fluid, seemingly drowning people on land.
In a surprise visit in March to the global chemical weapons watchdog headquarters at The Hague, Syria’s foreign minister said that the government would “destroy any remains of the chemical weapons program developed under the Assad regime” and comply with international law.
The current government allowed a team from the watchdog to enter the country this year to begin work documenting the sites, according to people with knowledge of the file.
But despite promises, the new government has not yet appointed an ambassador to the watchdog — a key first step that is seen as a sign of a country’s commitment.
Last week, Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa receives a cable of congratulation from OPCW Director, Fernando Arias, on the formation of the new Syrian government.
Arias expressed his sincere congratulations on the formation of the new government, wishing al-Sharaa success in implementing his program aimed at bringing stability to Syria and achieving prosperity for the Syrian people.
The OPCW chief also extended his best wishes to Sharaa on the occasion of Eid al-Fitr, following the end of the holy month of Ramadan.
Arias affirmed his support for Syria during the transitional period which includes issues related to the efforts being made together to permanently end the dark chapter of Syria’s former chemical weapons program.
