Syria chemical attack investigators’ security team shot at in Douma further delaying probe into gas atrocity
A UN security team was shot at in Douma yesterday – further delaying a probe into the Syria gas atrocity.
The officials were fired at ahead of a planned inspection of the suspected poison gas attack site, which was due to take place today.
They’d been there to give the green light to the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) – the body investigating the alleged gassing on April 7.
Western countries and rescue workers say scores of civilians were gassed to death by government forces, which Damascus denies.
The US, France and the UK then carried out a coordinated attack on Syria’s chemical weapons sites on April 14 as a direct retaliation of the alleged attack.
A delay in the arrival of the inspectors at the Douma site has become a source of diplomatic dispute, because Western countries accuse Damascus and Moscow of hindering the mission.
The United States and France have both said they believe the delay could be used to destroy evidence of the poison attack.
Russia and Syria deny using poison gas, hindering the investigation or tampering with evidence.
British Ambassador Peter Wilson told reporters in The Hague that the security team on Tuesday traveled to two sites in Douma, escorted by Russian security police.
The officials were greeted by a “large crowd” of protesters at one site, forcing them to withdraw while at the second site “they were subject to small-arms fire and an explosion,” Wilson said, quoting the OPCW director general.
It is now unclear when the the fact-finding mission will take place – but it could begin as soon as tomorrow.
Syria’s UN Ambassador Bashar Jaafari told the Security Council: “If this United Nations security team decides that the situation is sound in Douma, then the fact-finding mission will begin its work in Douma tomorrow.”
Douma was the last town to hold out in the besieged eastern Ghouta enclave, the last big rebel bastion near the capital Damascus, which was captured by a government advance over the past two months.
The last rebels abandoned the town on Saturday, hours after the U.S.-led missile strikes, leaving government forces in control of the site of the suspected chemical attack.
Syria’s UN ambassador said on Tuesday the fact-finding mission would begin its work in Douma on Wednesday if the UN security team deemed the situation there safe.
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