{"id":65904,"date":"2018-04-16T19:28:43","date_gmt":"2018-04-16T19:28:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/armytimes\/uncategorized\/2018\/04\/16\/chemical-weapons-team-kept-from-alleged-attack-site-in-syria\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T11:58:28","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T11:58:28","slug":"chemical-weapons-team-kept-from-alleged-attack-site-in-syria","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/armytimes\/flashpoints\/2018\/04\/16\/chemical-weapons-team-kept-from-alleged-attack-site-in-syria\/","title":{"rendered":"Chemical weapons team kept from alleged attack site in Syria"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">BEIRUT \u2014 Independent investigators were prevented by Syrian and Russian authorities Monday from reaching the scene of an <a href=\"https:\/\/www.militarytimes.com\/flashpoints\/2018\/04\/10\/syrian-forces-on-high-alert-as-chemical-weapons-watchdog-to-send-inspectors\/\" title=\"\" class=\"\" target=\"_blank\">alleged chemical attack<\/a> near the Syrian capital, an official said, days after the U.S., France and Britain <a href=\"https:\/\/www.militarytimes.com\/news\/your-military\/2018\/04\/14\/retaliatory-strikes-on-syria-underway\/\" title=\"\" class=\"\" target=\"_blank\">bombarded sites<\/a> they said were linked to Syria\u2019s chemical weapons program.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The lack of access to the town of Douma by inspectors from the watchdog group, the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, has left questions about the April 7 attack unanswered.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">OPCW Director-General Ahmet Uzumcu said Syrian and Russian officials cited \u201cpending security issues\u201d in keeping its inspectors from reaching Douma.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThe team has not yet deployed to Douma,\u201d two days after arriving in Syria, Uzumcu told an executive council of the OPCW in The Hague.<\/p>\n\n\n\t<aside class=\"smg-interstitial-link wp-block-smg-interstitial-link\">\n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/militarytimes\/flashpoints\/2018\/04\/15\/trump-defends-mission-accomplished-after-strike-on-syria\/\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__media\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" src=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/AP18104310108627.jpg.jpg?w=300\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__image wp-post-image\" alt=\"\" \/>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__content\">\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"smg-interstitial-link__kicker\">Related<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"smg-interstitial-link__title\">US to hit Russia with new sanctions for aiding Syria\u2019s Assad<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"smg-interstitial-link__excerpt\">President Donald Trump on Sunday defended his use of the phrase \u201cMission Accomplished\u201d to describe a U.S.-led missile attack on Syria\u2019s chemical weapons program, even as his aides stressed continuing U.S. troop involvement and plans for new economic sanctions against Russia for enabling the government of Bashar Assad.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t<\/aside>\n\t\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Syrian authorities were offering 22 people to interview as witnesses instead, he said, adding that he hoped \u201call necessary arrangements will be made &#8230; to allow the team to deploy to Douma as soon as possible.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The U.S. and France say they have evidence that <a href=\"https:\/\/www.militarytimes.com\/news\/your-military\/2018\/04\/11\/pentagon-still-assessing-chemical-attack-possible-responses\/\" title=\"\" class=\"\" target=\"_blank\">poison gas was used in Douma<\/a>, east of Damascus, killing dozens of people, and that President Bashar Assad\u2019s military was behind it, but they have made none of that evidence public. Syria and its ally Russia deny any such attack took place.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Deputy Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov blamed the Western airstrikes carried out early Saturday for holding up a mission by the OPCW team to Douma. He told reporters in Moscow that the inspectors could not go to the site because they need permission from the U.N. Department for Safety and Security.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But a U.N. spokesman said the clearances have been given to the OPCW team.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThe United Nations has provided the necessary clearances for the OPCW team to go about its work in Douma. We have not denied the team any request for it to go to Douma,\u201d said U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric.<\/p>\n\n\n\t<aside class=\"smg-interstitial-link wp-block-smg-interstitial-link\">\n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/militarytimes\/flashpoints\/2018\/04\/15\/analysis-trump-finds-leaving-syria-tougher-than-he-thought\/\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__media\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" src=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/AP18104042404513.jpg.jpg?w=300\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__image wp-post-image\" alt=\"\" \/>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__content\">\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"smg-interstitial-link__kicker\">Related<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"smg-interstitial-link__title\">Analysis: Trump finds leaving Syria tougher than he thought<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"smg-interstitial-link__excerpt\">In heated exchanges with his national security team in recent weeks, President Donald Trump repeatedly made clear he saw little incentive for the United States to be involved in Syria\u2019s intractable civil war.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t<\/aside>\n\t\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Both Russia and the Syrian government have welcomed the OPCW visit. The team arrived in Syria shortly before the airstrikes and met with Syrian officials. Government forces and Russian troops have been deployed in Douma, which is now controlled by the Syrian government.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Syrian opposition and activists have criticized the Russia deployment in the town, saying that evidence of chemical weapons\u2019 use might no longer be found.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov denied that Russia interfered with any evidence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI can guarantee that Russia has not tampered with the site,\u201d Lavrov told the BBC in an interview Monday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Syria\u2019s Deputy Foreign Minister Faisal Mekdad has said his country is \u201cfully ready\u201d to cooperate with the OPCW mission. He said government officials met with the delegation, which has been in Damascus for three days, a number of times to discuss cooperation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Syria has in the past accused the West of politically manipulating the OPCW mission.<\/p>\n\n\n\t<aside class=\"smg-interstitial-link wp-block-smg-interstitial-link\">\n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/militarytimes\/flashpoints\/2018\/04\/15\/western-airstrikes-unlikely-to-impact-assads-war-machine\/\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__media\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"206\" src=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/AP18104205339254.jpg.jpg?w=300\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__image wp-post-image\" alt=\"\" \/>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__content\">\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"smg-interstitial-link__kicker\">Related<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"smg-interstitial-link__title\">Western airstrikes unlikely to impact Assad\u2019s war machine<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"smg-interstitial-link__excerpt\">The Western airstrikes targeting suspected Syrian chemical weapons facilities might have rained down punishment from the sky, but they will not fundamentally degrade a war machine whose main bases, weaponry and personnel remain in place.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t<\/aside>\n\t\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">At least 40 people are believed to have died in the attack on Douma, which until Saturday was the last rebel-held town near Damascus.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The OPCW team dispatched to Syria to investigate does not have a mandate to assign blame.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.militarytimes.com\/flashpoints\/2017\/11\/23\/russia-says-expert-body-on-syria-chemical-attacks-is-dead\/\" title=\"\" class=\"\" target=\"_blank\">Russia vetoed<\/a> last year the extension of the mandate of another joint U.N.-OPCW joint body in charge of determining who was behind other chemical attacks in Syria. The joint body was created in 2015 and found the Syrian government responsible for using sarin gas last year in Khan Shaykhoun, a rebel-held area in northern Syria.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Meanwhile, NATO\u2019s secretary general said the U.S.-led airstrikes will reduce the Syrian government\u2019s capabilities of carrying out new chemical attacks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Jens Stoltenberg said the strikes were a \u201cclear message\u201d to Assad, Russia and Iran that the use of chemical weapons is not acceptable and that the allies would not stand idle. He spoke in an interview with Turkey\u2019s NTV television on Monday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In Damascus, hundreds of Syrians gathered Monday in Omayyad Square in Damascus, rallying in support of their armed forces, which they said had succeeded in confronting the airstrikes by the West.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">State TV broadcast the rally live from the central square, where protesters waved Syrian flags in a demonstration that was dubbed a \u201csalute to the achievements of the Arab Syrian Army.\u201d They also set off fireworks and unleashed celebratory gunfire.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Shouts of \u201cAllah, Syria, and only Bashar,\u201d a reference to Assad, rang out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The strikes have ratcheted up international tension, as the U.S. and Russia exchanged threats of retaliation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said a decision on new economic sanctions against Russia will be made \u201cin the near future.\u201d U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley had said a decision was coming Monday for sanctions against Russia for enabling the Assad government to continue using chemical weapons, but the White House did not commit to that timetable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Russian President Vladimir Putin said the military strikes violated the U.N. Charter and that if they continue, \u201cit will inevitably entail chaos in international relations,\u201d according to a Kremlin statement on Sunday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Douma was the last rebel holdout in the eastern Ghouta enclave, which was the target of a government offensive in February and March that killed hundreds and displaced tens of thousands of people.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Syrian media, Russian and Syrian officials have sought to play down the impact of the airstrikes, saying the Syrian air defenses intercepted most of the missiles. The Pentagon says no missiles were engaged.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Also Monday, British Prime Minister Theresa May was to face angry lawmakers for authorizing the strikes without a vote in Parliament. Her office said she planned to tell them the strikes were \u201cin Britain\u2019s national interest\u201d and were carried out to stop further suffering from chemical weapons attacks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><i>Vasilyeva reported from Moscow. Associated Press writer Edith M. Lederer at the United Nations and Raf Casert in Luxembourg contributed.<\/i><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Independent investigators were prevented by Syrian and Russian authorities Monday from reaching the scene of an alleged chemical attack near the Syrian capital, an official said, days after the U.S., France and Britain bombarded sites they said were linked to Syria\u2019s chemical weapons program.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":99146,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_yoast_wpseo_meta-robots-noindex":"","_yoast_wpseo_meta-robots-nofollow":"","_yoast_wpseo_canonical":"","_acf":"","_yoast_wpseo_primary_category":8,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","_smg_distribution_targets":[]},"categories":[100,8,12,25,68],"tags":[],"coauthors":[1239,2962],"class_list":["post-65904","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-daily-news-roundup","category-flashpoints","category-news","category-newsletters","category-pentagon-congress"],"acf":{"subheadline":"","legacy_arc_id":"JO4TLUS53ND2TBQT4CZ762WDBI","arc_canonical_url":"\/flashpoints\/2018\/04\/16\/chemical-weapons-team-kept-from-alleged-attack-site-in-syria\/","remove_feature_photo":false,"is_sponsored":false,"subtype":"","redirect_url":"","disable_inline_ads":false,"native_logo_pretext":"Presented By:"},"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v26.0 (Yoast SEO v28.1) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Chemical weapons team kept from alleged attack site in Syria - Army Times<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Independent investigators were prevented by Syrian and Russian authorities Monday from reaching the scene of an alleged chemical attack near the Syrian capital, an official said, days after the U.S., France and Britain bombarded sites they said were linked to Syria\u2019s chemical weapons program.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/militarytimes\/flashpoints\/2018\/04\/16\/chemical-weapons-team-kept-from-alleged-attack-site-in-syria\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" 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