5 UN observers released in Syria after kidnapping

A convoy of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), consisting of six inspectors and five Syrian driver, suffered an attack this Monday in northern Syria. The convoy consisted of four UN vehicles was heading to the town of Taibet al- Imam, on the outskirts of the northern province of Hama, to investigate the possible use of chlorine gas against rebellious villages in an attack allegedly perpetrated last month.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates accuses Syrian rebels kidnap members of the convoy, while the OPCW said his staff is released. Michael Luhan, OPCW spokesman based in The Hague, said in a telephone conversation this newspaper that ” The six team members are safely back to base. The situation is confusing so we can not confirm or deny an attempted kidnapping in the attack suffered by the convoy. Inspectors are now free and we will have more information once they return to base ” without specifying the nationality of the inspectors. The Organization has confirmed in a brief press release the attack calling the cooperation of both sides: ” Our inspectors are in Syria to determine the facts in relation to persistent allegations of attacks with chlorine gas and safety is our primary concern. It is imperative for all parties to the conflict to assure safe access. “

According to the National Syrian news agency Sana, Tuesday had reached a truce with the rebels of 8 am to 6 pm to proceed with the mission. The Syrian government rushed through the Sana agency to decline all responsibility for the incident, ensuring that the team was advised of the inability of the devices Syrian security to continue in its efforts to protect and leaving all responsibility to continue path over the inspection team. ” Two kilometers before reaching the town of al- Imam Taibet, one of the cars of the mission was attacked with explosives, which has carried passengers to be picked up in another vehicle. Only one vehicle has managed to reach Taibet al- Imam, while the two others have been kidnapped by terrorists,” says the ministry said in a press release.

The OPCW in collaboration with the United Nations entered Syria in January last year with the aim of destroying the estimated 1000 tonnes Syrian chemical arsenal. The organization claims to have destroyed today 80 % of the estimated chemical weapons.

Both sides in the Syrian conflict are accused of using chemical weapons. The largest chemical attack was carried out in August 2013 against several areas controlled or contested by the rebels in the region Gouta in the suburbs of Damascus. They estimate that between 280 and 1500 died victims of the attack that served as a trigger for the U.S. administration valued a military strike against the Syrian regime. Although Syria has not signed the Convention on Chemical Weapons, the Syrian government agreed with his Russian ally to a disarmament plan that expires this summer.

In the midst of a bloody conflict that has claimed the lives of over 150,000 people, the OPCW has to implement its mission to move constantly negotiating between the Syrian regime controlled regions under rebel control regions.

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Posted by Khalil Khan on May 28 2014. Filed under Latest News, Middle East. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.