Syria 'chemical' attack: Experts finally visit Douma site

International chemical weapons experts have eventually inspected the web site of a suspected attack close to damascus which induced an global crisis.

The group from the business enterprise for the prohibition of chemical weapons (opcw) travelled to the city of douma and accrued samples and other items.

Final week western states bombed several syrian government web sites in retaliation for the suspected attack on 7 april.

Syria and russia, which now control douma, deny chemical arms have been used.



How the western assaults on syria's suspected chemical guns sites spread out
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Media captionhow the western assaults on syria's suspected chemical guns sites unfolded
More than forty human beings are said to have died on 7 april. The joint army response via the usa, united kingdom and france followed a conflict of phrases with russia, syria's main navy ally.

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The postpone inside the opcw go to endorsed the proliferation of rival theories and accusations ricocheted between the numerous capitals and throughout the internet, bbc arab affairs editor sebastian usher says.

What did western moves goal?
Have been the syria moves legal?
What passed off on saturday?
In a press launch, the opcw stated its team had visited one of the  websites reportedly bombed in douma on 7 april.

The unspecified samples may be sent to the opcw laboratory in rijswijk, a suburb of the hague, and then analysed by means of specific labs, the company said.

Different records and "materials" have also been accumulated with the aid of the inspectors, it stated.

An itv news correspondent recorded the return of the opcw convoy to damascus.

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 opcw convoy arrives lower back in damascus after moving into douma these days to analyze chemical attack #syria #opcw

6:forty six pm - apr 21, 2018
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The nine-robust group have been expecting every week in the syrian capital for clearance to go to the town.

They have been due to enter the metropolis on wednesday but the visit become not on time after a un hazard assessment team came underneath hearth while checking the websites on tuesday.

Bullet-evidence vest and helmet utilized by opcw body of workers, as proven at its headquarters within the hague, 20 aprilimage copyrightafp
Picture caption
The opcw at the hague has proven the form of bullet-evidence vests and helmets utilized by its personnel on missions
Western officers fear that proof of the alleged double chemical assault can also have been tampered with.

However, vital traces of toxic chemical substances would likely still be gift within the environment and within the stays of sufferers, alastair hay, professor of environmental toxicology at the college of leeds, advised afp news organization.

"nerve dealers like sarin can be gift within the surroundings for lots weeks after use and especially in case you look near the website where a weapon has exploded," he stated.

"post-mortem samples, if to be had, will offer worthwhile evidence and nerve retailers may be discovered in many organs."

How do you check for chemical guns?
What we realize about the 'chemical assault'
Why has it taken goodbye?
Tunnels in douma, 20 aprilimage copyrightepa
Photo caption
Newshounds were journeying a warren of tunnels dug in douma to avoid air moves
Douma was continuously under attack during the current russian-backed syrian offensive to force rebels out of regions near damascus and remains suffering from the particles of war, making any inspection doubtlessly risky.

Warren of war tunnels found out
The rebels withdrew underneath a cope with the russian military just after 7 april.

Even as there may be suspicion that efforts may additionally have been made to get rid of forensic evidence of chemical guns, foreign reporters have already visited the city.

In a declaration, the russian overseas ministry accused the opcw of itself taking too long to look into the suspected assault websites.

What befell on 7 april?
On the day of the suspected chemical assault, douma became nevertheless below the control of the jaish al-islam institution, the ultimate rebellion bastion in the japanese ghouta location out of doors damascus.



Media captionunverified video shows youngsters being handled after alleged gas assault
Thousands of humans had been sheltering in basements from authorities bombardment, whilst  bombs filled with chemical compounds were allegedly dropped numerous hours aside on  separate places.

Map displaying the locations of the alleged chemical attacks on douma, eastern ghouta, syria
America, uk and france say that, based totally on open-source information and their own intelligence, they're assured chlorine and probably a nerve agent had been used.

The syrian government and russia deny chemical weapons had been used and say proof was fabricated.



Media captionrussia's foreign minister says the best proof of a chemical attack got here from the media
While the syrian government denies having ever used chemical guns, specialists from the un and the opcw have ascribed four chemical assaults to the government all through the civil warfare.

These include an attack on the insurrection-held town of khan sheikhoun just over a 12 months in the past that concerned the nerve agent sarin. More than eighty human beings are stated to have died in that assault.