Syria begins destroying chemical materials from Assad era in first operation since regime's fall

Syria has begun an operation to destroy chemical materials dating back to the era of former president Bashar Assad, informing the UN Security Council on Thursday that this is the first such operation on Syrian soil in more than a decade, and the first since the fall of the previous regime.

The move is part of Syria's cooperation with the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons to fully disclose the components of the chemical program once run by the ousted regime, while securing and preparing discovered materials and munitions for destruction in accordance with approved technical procedures and under the organization's supervision.

Syria's Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ibrahim Alabi, said: "This is the first destruction operation since we were freed from the previous regime," adding, "It is also the first of its kind to destroy chemical materials on Syrian territory in more than a decade."

In recent months, the Syrian government, in cooperation with international partners, has stepped up efforts to eliminate remnants of chemical weapons stockpiles and to identify sites and materials that were not previously declared by the former regime.

Alabi stressed that the start of the destruction process carries a significance beyond simply disposing of the discovered materials, saying: "This moment truly demonstrates that an issue which for years posed a danger to Syrians and the world can become an example of what diplomacy, combined with determination, genuine will, and a spirit of international cooperation, can achieve on the ground."

As part of this process, Syria continues to work on identifying components of the former chemical program and securing any materials and munitions found, with the aim of destroying them according to approved technical procedures and under the supervision of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons.