Syria begins destroying remnants of a clandestine Assad-era chemical weapons program that it recovered in May, described by UN officials as the first such destruction in about a decade. A Syrian envoy and a UN representative say the process follows Syria’s discovery of raw materials and munitions linked to the former program, including items similar to those used in chemical attacks during the country’s civil war.
The development is discussed at the UN level, including during a Security Council briefing. UN High Representative for Disarmament Affairs Izumi Nakamitsu says the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) confirms destruction in Syria. Reuters and NDTV both frame the move as an initial phase after years without reported destruction, while emphasizing the role of UN and OPCW verification and the May recovery of the materials.
