UN Team to Examine Chemical Weapons Claims, Militants Attack Khan al-Assal: Syria

Local Editor

A senior United Nations delegation tasked with examining allegations of chemical weapons use in the Syrian unrest began its mission to Damascus.
Angela Kane , UN High Representative for Disarmament Affairs and Swedish scientist, Ake Sellstrom, arrived from Beirut in the Syrian capital on Wednesday, for two days of talks, which the UN has been pushing for since April.
The UN inspectors are likely to meet with Syrian officials, also later with Foreign Minister Walid al-Muallem, a source close to the UN delegation told AFP anonymously.

According to sources, soon after the arrival of two UN envoys, foreign-backed militants attacked Aleppo's Khan al-Assal in a bid to hide traces of chemical weapons used by the opposition militants against government forces few months earlier.
A Russian-led inquiry has already revealed that militants carried out a chemical attack in the village of Khan al-Assal on the edge of the northern city of Aleppo in March, which killed 26 people.

The UN team arrived to Syria upon an invitation by the Syrian government.
On May 6, UN investigator, Carla Del Ponte, said testimony from victims of the conflict in Syria suggests militants have used the nerve agent, Sarin.
Sarin is classed as a weapon of mass destruction, it can cause convulsions, paralysis and death within minutes if it is absorbed through inhalation, ingestion, or contact with skin or eyes, and is banned under international law.

Source: News Agencies, edited by website team