Destruction of Syria’s chemical weapons begins, U.N. says

CNN Staff
2 minute read
Updated 12:20 PM EDT, Mon October 7, 2013
A convoy of inspectors from the <a href="http://www.opcw.org/" target="_blank" target="_blank">Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons</a> prepares to cross into Syria at the Lebanese border crossing point of Masnaa on Tuesday, October 1. Inspectors from the Netherlands-based watchdog arrived in Syria to begin their complex mission of finding, dismantling and ultimately destroying Syria's chemical weapons arsenal.
Suspected chemical attack in Syria —
A convoy of inspectors from the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons prepares to cross into Syria at the Lebanese border crossing point of Masnaa on Tuesday, October 1. Inspectors from the Netherlands-based watchdog arrived in Syria to begin their complex mission of finding, dismantling and ultimately destroying Syria's chemical weapons arsenal.
Bilal Hussein/AP
The U.N. Security Council votes to approve a resolution that will require Syria to give up its chemical weapons during a meeting on Friday, September 27. The vote came after assertions by the United States and other Western nations that the Syrian government used chemical weapons in an August 21 attack outside Damascus that U.S. officials estimate killed 1,400 people.
Suspected chemical attack in Syria —
The U.N. Security Council votes to approve a resolution that will require Syria to give up its chemical weapons during a meeting on Friday, September 27. The vote came after assertions by the United States and other Western nations that the Syrian government used chemical weapons in an August 21 attack outside Damascus that U.S. officials estimate killed 1,400 people.
STAN HONDA/AFP/Getty Images
U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said the world community was imposing a binding obligation on the government of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to get rid of its chemical weapons stockpile.
Suspected chemical attack in Syria —
U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said the world community was imposing a binding obligation on the government of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to get rid of its chemical weapons stockpile.
STAN HONDA/AFP/Getty Images
A man mourns over the bodies of those killed in a suspected chemical weapon attack in a suburb of Damascus, Syria, on Wednesday, August 21. Syrian rebels said poisonous gas rained down from rockets, but authorities have denied the allegations that they used chemical weapons and accused the opposition of staging the attacks. U.S. officials, however, said there were "strong indications" that there was a chemical weapons attack by the government.
Suspected chemical attack in Syria —
A man mourns over the bodies of those killed in a suspected chemical weapon attack in a suburb of Damascus, Syria, on Wednesday, August 21. Syrian rebels said poisonous gas rained down from rockets, but authorities have denied the allegations that they used chemical weapons and accused the opposition of staging the attacks. U.S. officials, however, said there were "strong indications" that there was a chemical weapons attack by the government.
SNN / Polaris/Newscom
Warning: Graphic images (multiple)
Suspected chemical attack in Syria —
People attend to the victims of the attack on August 21 in Damascus. British intelligence said at least 350 people died, while rebel leaders have put the death toll at more than 1,300.
Suspected chemical attack in Syria —
People attend to the victims of the attack on August 21 in Damascus. British intelligence said at least 350 people died, while rebel leaders have put the death toll at more than 1,300.
SNN / Polaris/Newscom
Constricted pupils was listed as a symptom in victims of the alleged attack on August 21.
Suspected chemical attack in Syria —
Constricted pupils was listed as a symptom in victims of the alleged attack on August 21.
SNN / Polaris/Newscom
Victims of the attack are laid in the back of a truck in the Hamoria area of Damascus on August 21.
Suspected chemical attack in Syria —
Victims of the attack are laid in the back of a truck in the Hamoria area of Damascus on August 21.
Bassam Khabieh/reuters/LANDOv
A young survivor takes shelter in a mosque in the Duma neighborhood of Damascus on August 21.
Suspected chemical attack in Syria —
A young survivor takes shelter in a mosque in the Duma neighborhood of Damascus on August 21.
Mohamed Abdullah/Reuters/LANDOV
Victims are buried in a suburb of Damascus on August 21.
Suspected chemical attack in Syria —
Victims are buried in a suburb of Damascus on August 21.
Shaam News Network/ap
People search for the dead to collect samples to check for chemical weapon use in the Zamalka area of Syria on Thursday, August 22.
Suspected chemical attack in Syria —
People search for the dead to collect samples to check for chemical weapon use in the Zamalka area of Syria on Thursday, August 22.
Bassam Khabieh/Reuters/LANDOV
A group of young Salafists chants and waves black flags during a protest against the Egyptian and Syria regimes in the southern Gaza Strip on August 22.
Suspected chemical attack in Syria —
A group of young Salafists chants and waves black flags during a protest against the Egyptian and Syria regimes in the southern Gaza Strip on August 22.
Adel Hana/ap
A young woman holds a Syrian revolution flag and a candle during a protest of President Bashar al-Assad in front of the U.N. headquarters in Gaza City on Friday, August 23. U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon intends to conduct a "thorough, impartial and prompt investigation" into the alleged chemical weapons attack in Syria.
Suspected chemical attack in Syria —
A young woman holds a Syrian revolution flag and a candle during a protest of President Bashar al-Assad in front of the U.N. headquarters in Gaza City on Friday, August 23. U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon intends to conduct a "thorough, impartial and prompt investigation" into the alleged chemical weapons attack in Syria.
Ali Jadallah/APA Images/ZUMAPRESS/newscom
Pigeons' bodies litter the ground in the Damascus suburbs of Arbeen on Saturday, August 24.
Suspected chemical attack in Syria —
Pigeons' bodies litter the ground in the Damascus suburbs of Arbeen on Saturday, August 24.
Ammar Dar/Reuters/LANDOv
Syrian soldiers are deployed in the Jobar neighborhood of Damascus on August 24.
Suspected chemical attack in Syria —
Syrian soldiers are deployed in the Jobar neighborhood of Damascus on August 24.
STR/AFP/Getty Images
Syrian President Bashar al-Assad speaks with the Russian newspaper Izvestia in Damascus, Syria, on Monday, August 26. He told the newspaper that Western accusations that the Syrian government used chemical weapons are an insult to common sense.
Suspected chemical attack in Syria —
Syrian President Bashar al-Assad speaks with the Russian newspaper Izvestia in Damascus, Syria, on Monday, August 26. He told the newspaper that Western accusations that the Syrian government used chemical weapons are an insult to common sense.
Xinhua/Sana/Newscom
Representatives of Arab countries discuss Syria at the Arab League headquarters in Cairo, Egypt, on Tuesday, August 27. President al-Assad vowed to defend his country against any outside attack. "The threats of launching an aggression against Syria will increase its commitments," and "Syria will defend itself against any aggression," he said, according to Syrian state TV.
Suspected chemical attack in Syria —
Representatives of Arab countries discuss Syria at the Arab League headquarters in Cairo, Egypt, on Tuesday, August 27. President al-Assad vowed to defend his country against any outside attack. "The threats of launching an aggression against Syria will increase its commitments," and "Syria will defend itself against any aggression," he said, according to Syrian state TV.
STR/AFP/Getty Images
Photos: Suspected chemical attack in Syria

Story highlights

"Cutting torches and angle grinders" are being used to destroy the weapons

"Missile warheads, aerial bombs and mixing and filling equipment" are being destroyed

A U.N. team is "monitoring, verifying and reporting" on Syria's compliance with a resolution

"The process will continue in the coming days," the U.N. says

CNN  — 

Syrians began destroying their country’s chemical weapons program Sunday, according to an international team tasked with overseeing the effort.

Syrian personnel are using “cutting torches and angle grinders to destroy or disable a range of items,” a news release from the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons said Sunday. “This included missile warheads, aerial bombs and mixing and filling equipment.”

The OPCW team, which arrived in Damascus on Tuesday, “are monitoring, verifying and reporting on Syria’s compliance with international demands to destroy chemical weapons stockpiles and production facilities,” the release said.

Security Council OKs Syria resolution, warns of consequences

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Syria begins to destroy chemical weapons

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Syrian refugees haunted by shelling

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Millions displaced within Syria

“The process will continue in the coming days,” it said. The inspectors plan to visit nearly 50 sites as part of the mission, the OPCW said.

Some are not convinced the plan will work.

A defected Syrian general told CNN’s Christiane Amanpour on Tuesday that the government of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad will never give up its chemical stockpile.