The Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) has voiced concerns over potential risks from airstrikes on Syrian chemical weapons sites. Fernando Arias, the OPCW’s director-general, cautioned that such strikes could lead to contamination, loss of control over hazardous materials, and the destruction of critical evidence needed for investigations into past chemical weapons use.
The warnings come after Israel reported targeting “remaining chemical weapons or long-range missiles” in Syria to prevent them from falling into extremist hands following the fall of Bashar al-Assad. The OPCW, which has been investigating chemical weapons use in Syria since 2014, has documented 20 confirmed or likely uses of these weapons across 74 reported incidents.
Arias emphasized the importance of safeguarding evidence for ongoing international investigations and controlling dangerous materials to prevent further risks.
