Sabrina Dallafour, the new director-general of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, announced in Damascus that clearing remnants of Bashar al-Assad’s former chemical weapons program is the agency’s urgent priority.
The Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons will now focus its foremost mission on investigating and securing the remnants of the former Syrian regime’s chemical infrastructure. During a visit to Damascus, Sabrina Dallafour stated that the agency’s immediate focus is evaluating the most dangerous remaining sites.
The current administration has pledged cooperation since taking power in late 2024, contrasting with the previous government that faced years of accusations regarding chemical attacks against civilians during the country’s long conflict.
Damascus Detains Suspects and Hands Over Files
Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shibani outlined the scope of his government’s cooperation during a joint press conference with Dallafour. Shibani reported that 18 individuals have been arrested in connection with past chemical attacks, including senior officers awaiting trial.
The foreign minister framed these actions as a moral obligation for the country.
The urgent priority now is to assess the most dangerous sites, uncover the remnants of the Assad-era chemical weapons program, and take necessary measures to secure them.
.@OPCW_DG Sabrina Dallafior and Syrian Foreign Minister al-Shaibani met today in Damascus. Discussions focused on the tangible progress being made in addressing the Assad-era chemical weapons programme. Practical cooperation between the OPCW and #Syria, including the recent… pic.twitter.com/SONJkdr22s
Removing chemical weapons from Syria is a responsibility toward the victims and a commitment to ensuring future generations never live through these atrocities again.
Asaad al-Shibani, Syrian Foreign Minister
Syria Destroys 42 Chemical Aerial Bombs
A team from the chemical weapons watchdog verified the destruction of 42 chemical aerial bombs carried out by Syrian authorities in August, UN Under-Secretary-General for Disarmament Affairs Izumi Nakamitsu noted last month. This operation is the first verified destruction of chemical munitions on Syrian soil since 2014.
In June, Damascus corrected inherited inventories by adding one production facility, two storage facilities, and previously hidden munitions.
Syria Regains Voting Rights
Member states voted in July to restore Syria’s full voting rights and privileges within the organisation. Syria had been stripped of its voting power in 2021 after investigations concluded that the Syrian air force had deployed sarin and chlorine gas against civilian populations.
Syria joined the chemical weapons convention in 2013 under joint American and Russian pressure to avert threatened military strikes. Intelligence agencies and United Nations bodies documented widespread chemical attacks during that era—including an incident that killed more than 1,400 people—though the former government consistently denied responsibility and misled inspectors regarding the true scope of its stockpile.
Dallafour and Shibani discussed a roadmap to transition current cooperation into the final closure of the chemical dossier before the Conference of the States Parties next month.
