Syria Commits to Eradicate Remaining Chemical Weapons from Assad Era

In a meeting with the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), Asaad al-Shibani emphasized the need for community support to address the chemical weapons legacy.

Syria's foreign minister, Asaad al-Shibani, addressed the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) in The Hague, declaring the new government's commitment to eradication of the remaining chemical weapons stockpiles that were produced under the leadership of former president Bashar al-Assad. He stated, "We are determined to put an end to this painful legacy and pursue justice for victims," stressing that achieving compliance with international law would require assistance from the global community.

Despite Syria's government maintaining its stance of never utilizing chemical weapons throughout the course of the 14-year civil conflict, numerous activists have accused them of executing several chemical attacks. A particularly harrowing incident took place in 2013 when rockets laced with the nerve agent sarin targeted multiple rebel-held areas in Eastern and Western Ghouta, resulting in hundreds of fatalities. UN officials confirmed the nerve gas's deployment but refrained from assigning blame.

Notably, Assad consented to signing the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) and allowed a collaborative mission from the OPCW and the UN to dismantle Syria's declared arsenal of chemical weapons. However, concerns regarding the authenticity and thoroughness of Syria’s disclosures remain. The OPCW Investigation and Identification Team has reported multiple instances of chemical weapon deployment, designating the Syrian military as culpable for five chemical weapon incidents in 2017 and 2018. These incidents include the devastating April 2018 assault on Douma, where a Syrian helicopter allegedly released two canisters of concentrated chlorine gas, leading to the deaths of at least 43 individuals.

An earlier OPCW investigation noted chemical weapons were either used or probably used in an additional 20 cases. Last month, OPCW director general Fernando Arias visited Damascus for discussions with Shibani and interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa, who was involved in the offensive that ousted Assad in December. During this week's meeting, Arias claimed, "The evolving political landscape in Syria offers the international community a unique opportunity to finalize the disposal of Syria's chemical weapons program." He announced that a contingent of OPCW technical experts would soon be sent to Damascus to plan visits to potential chemical weapon sites.

Simultaneously, Shibani engaged in talks with Karim Khan, the chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC), in The Hague. The ICC stated that their discussions followed up on Khan’s previous visit to Damascus, focusing on establishing partnerships for accountability regarding crimes executed in Syria. Though Syria is not an ICC member, Khan indicated that the new regime might grant the court jurisdiction as a preliminary measure—similar to Ukraine's response in relation to the conflict with Russia.