International
SYRIA: Unknown gunmen open fire at UN inspection team
Unknown gunmen opened fire at a U.N. security team doing reconnaissance for inspectors to visit sites of a suspected chemical weapons attack in Syria.
According to the UN officials, it was no longer clear when the inspectors would be able to go in to do their work.
Reports say the inspectors from the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons are in Syria to investigate an April 7 incident which witnessed chemical attacks in the rebel stronghold of Douma.
Read also: Workers’ strike paralyses rail travel across France
OPCW Director-General Ahmet Üzümcü said the United Nations Department of Safety and Security (UNDSS) had decided to carry out reconnaissance at two sites in the town of Douma before the inspectors would visit them.
“On arrival at site one, a large crowd gathered and the advice provided by the UNDSS was that the reconnaissance team should withdraw,” he told a meeting at the watchdog’s headquarters in remarks it later released. “At site two, the team came under small arms fire and an explosive was detonated. The reconnaissance team returned to Damascus.”
The chemical attacks which killed scores including women and children was condemned by Western countries with rescue workers disclosing that scores of civilians were gassed to death by government forces.
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