UN Inspectors Confirm Syria Chemical Attack [View all]

[Jesus Malverde]

Source: AP

Chemical weapons were probably used in four locations in Syria this year, in addition to the confirmed attack near Damascus in August that forced the government to abandon its secret chemical stockpile, U.N. inspectors have said.

In a report released Thursday, the experts, led by Swedish professor Ake Sellstrom, examined seven alleged chemical weapons attacks and said it lacked information to corroborate the allegations at two locations.

The inspectors' limited mandate barred them from identifying whether the government or opposition fighters were responsible for any of the attacks.

Thursday's report said evidence indicated chemical weapons were probably used in Khan al Assal outside Aleppo, Jobar in Damascus' eastern suburbs, Saraqueb near Idlib in the northwest, and Ashrafiah Sahnaya in the Damascus countryside. In two cases, it found "signatures of sarin."


Read more: http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/chief-report-syria-chemical-weapons-21199034

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Specifically forbidden by their mandate, they were unable to establish conclusively that the rebels fired these weapons as has been previously reported.