Syria’s Interim Government Discovers Chemical Weapons Program Remnants

Syria’s interim government announced on Tuesday that it had uncovered remnants of a secret chemical weapons program established by the former dictator Bashar al-Assad and apprehended 18 individuals believed to be involved in this initiative.

Assad, who was overthrown in December 2024 after defecting to Russia—the nation that backed him during Syria’s lengthy civil war—was succeeded by a transitional government led by a coalition of rebels and jihadists, with Ahmed al-Shara, a former al-Qaeda member, at its helm.

The new government has pledged to challenge Assad’s longstanding allies, Russia and Iran, and aims to collaborate with Western nations through various channels. Among these efforts is joining a global coalition to combat the Islamic State, a move planned for November 2025.

In cooperation with the Hague-based Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), the interim government has taken significant steps. On Tuesday, OPCW officials reported visiting several previously unreported chemical weapons sites in Syria, where they found “dozens of undeclared chemical weapons, including aerial bombs and rockets,” along with various equipment related to chemical weapons.

While working with OPCW inspectors, Syrian authorities discovered over 70 rockets and bombs, which appear to be designed for carrying chemicals, reminiscent of those deployed by Assad’s forces during attacks on rebel-held areas in 2013 and 2017.

Inspectors also identified raw materials needed for producing the nerve agent sarin, including a powder called hexamine. Though hexamine has multiple industrial applications, Assad’s engineers used it in the weaponization of sarin gas.

OPCW and UN inspectors have found stockpiles of chlorine and mustard gas previously utilized by the Syrian military. The OPCW is aware of around 100 sites within Syria that require further investigation.

Mahamad Katub, the OPCW Interim Government Representative, expressed that the seizure of chemical weapons and the arrests represent a victory for the Syrian populace against the atrocities of the previous regime. “Today, we carried out our mission for the Syrian people and the world, despite secrecy, danger, and enormous security challenges,” he remarked.

This marks the first instance in which such ammunition has been secured before it could be employed for further crimes against the Syrian people, he noted.

While Katub did not disclose the identities of the 18 arrested individuals, he indicated that they included “high-ranking military, political, and technical officials.” Notably, at least four of these suspects are currently under sanctions imposed by the United States, Britain, and the European Union.

On May 8, the Syrian Ministry of Interior announced that a former Brigadier General, Khaldar Ahmed Dayub—who had been arrested in 2013 for his involvement in a chemical attack on a suburb of Damascus—was charged with “direct involvement in systematic violations against civilians,” including the deaths of approximately 1,400 individuals.

OPCW Secretary General Ambassador Fernando Arias stated on Wednesday that the findings from the latest investigation reaffirm the Secretariat’s ongoing assessment since 2014: the former Syrian regime had concealed crucial information and attempted to mislead both the Secretariat and the international community regarding the full extent of its chemical weapons program.

“We welcome Syria’s cooperation and support for this deployment,” he stated, urging Syrian authorities to declare and eliminate what has been found during the investigation and to aid in uncovering the overall scope of the inherited chemical weapons program.