On 25 August 2017, the Russian General Igor Kirillov confirmed, that his country had just dismantled two chemical weapons sites belonging to the Syrian Arab Army.

The Syrian Arab Republic had denied any involvement in the Ghouta chemical attack which took place in August 2013. It also confirmed that since the 1950s, it had had this type of weapon and lacked the means of destroying them. It had signed up to the Treaty on the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons and had entrusted the task of dismantling its installations and destroying its stocks to Russia and the United States. This is what was done for 25 sites. However, there were another two sites, the location of which still has not been revealed, which had been occupied by Jihadists. These sites have just been freed and dismantled.

On several occasions, states opposed to Syria and their press have gone on to accuse Damascus of chemical attacks, although the Syrian arsenal had been either destroyed or seized.

Russia has sent all the relevant information to the OIAC, the organ in charge of overseeing the Treaty.

Currently, there are only two states in the world that have not signed up to the Treaty and that hold important stock: Israel and Egypt.

Translation
Anoosha Boralessa