Syria Destroys 42 Chemical Bombs from Assad Era

Syria has begun the destruction of 42 bombs from its secret chemical weapons program. UN disarmament envoy Izumi Nakamitsu announced the development to the UN Security Council on Thursday, noting that the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) verified the destruction. This marks the first such action in a decade. The current Syrian leadership discovered additional remnants of the old program in May, including a production facility, a chemical used to create nerve gas, empty munitions, and two storage sites. The Syrian UN ambassador also stated that the country is preparing its first trial against suspected participants in the program, with 18 suspects from the military, political, and technical sectors arrested this year. Former President Bashar al Assad built an extensive program involving sarin, chlorine, and mustard gas starting in the 1970s. While he joined the Chemical Weapons Convention and pledged to destroy the arsenal, investigations found that his soldiers continued to use sarin and chlorine gas during the civil war, killing or injuring thousands. A New York Times report from last year suggested there may be more than 100 chemical weapons storage sites across the country, some located in caves, which is more than previously estimated.