Syria Begins Destruction of Chemical Weapons
The Syrian government, led by the former al-Qaeda operative President Ahmed al-Sharaa, has announced to the United Nations that it has started the process of dismantling its stockpiles of illegal chemical weapons, which were previously under the control of the ousted leader Bashar Assad.
During a Security Council meeting, Syria’s representative, Ibrahim Olabi, shared that the country is collaborating with the U.N.’s Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons. This effort forms part of a broader initiative to re-establish Syria as a credible member of the international community. Completing this mission of destroying chemical weapons would represent a significant achievement for Syria, especially considering the extensive use of such weapons during the civil turmoil that lasted from 2011 to 2024.
UN officials have frequently condemned the evidence suggesting that Assad had employed various chemical weapons in the conflict. Despite this, Assad’s allies, particularly Iran and Russia, defended him, attributing accusations of chemical attacks to rebel forces trying to overthrow the government.
In December 2024, Assad fled to Moscow after his regime was surrounded by Sharaa’s militia, known as Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), which is an offshoot of al-Qaeda, having initially gained infamy by breaking a prolonged stalemate in the war and capturing Aleppo before dismantling Assad’s authoritarian rule.
Since then, Sharaa has distanced himself from his previously adopted jihadi name, “Abu Mohammed al-Jolani,” and sought to establish amicable relations with Western nations, including the United States, as he aims to attract foreign investments for rebuilding Syria, a country largely devastated by war. Syrian officials assert that cooperating with the UN on the chemical weapons agenda is a crucial step towards reintegrating Syria into global affairs post-conflict.
According to the state-run Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA), Olabi declared to the Security Council that, with UN assistance, the procedure to destroy chemical weapons has commenced.
“Ambassador Olabi indicated that this ongoing cooperation reflects a significant political transformation in Syria’s approach to international relations,” SANA reported. “This shift conveys a message that a nation in a volatile region has opted to rejoin the global community through accountability and adherence to its commitments, especially at a time when the international framework seems fragmented and weak.”
He elaborated that destroying these weapons entails exhaustive inspections of military sites across the nation to identify and eliminate them.
“Olabi remarked that the goal is to shield the Syrian populace from the threat that remnants of chemical weapons might fall into the wrong hands,” SANA noted. “This also serves to protect the surrounding region and, indeed, the world.” He added that securing each location and recognizing each munition diminishes the risks to global security.
Olabi emphasized the importance of these actions in upholding international laws and safeguarding global security.
In his remarks to the Security Council, Olabi mentioned that the Sharaa administration is pursuing legal actions against former officials associated with Assad believed to be culpable in the use of chemical weapons. He also criticized the Israeli government during his address, asserting that Israeli “occupation” poses a threat to stability in Syria. The conflict over the Golan Heights, which Israel has held for many years, fuels further tensions as Israel has conducted limited military operations in Syria, which are justified as necessary for national security.
“We cannot ensure regional security when our own security is jeopardized by Israel, nor can we maintain the integrity of the international order while Israel flouts international regulations,” Olabi stated.
Reportedly, Syria and Israel engaged in peace talks, facilitated by the United States, in late August after an incident where the Israeli Defense Forces reportedly targeted military sites in Syria. Israeli officials expressed concerns about the presence of Turkish officials at the Abu Duhur military airport in Idlib, perceiving it as a threat, given Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s outspoken support for jihadist groups and his well-known animosity toward Jewish people.
According to SANA, the peace discussions did occur, primarily focusing on establishing measures to prevent Israeli strikes, arrests, and operations against Syria, with hopes of advancing toward a security agreement that could set the stage for more comprehensive future negotiations.
Earlier, in May, Syrian officials reported finding what they labeled as “remnants” of Assad’s chemical weapons program, subsequently inviting the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) to assist in addressing the identified threats. This invitation was regarded as unprecedented as it revealed an unused cache of chemical weapons, which could be safely disposed of.
The disposal initiative started on August 22, as stated by Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani.
“Tomorrow marks the beginning of a new chapter for the Syrian Arab Republic in tackling the burden of these chemical weapons, as we have initiated the necessary technical and operational measures for their elimination alongside international partners,” al-Shaibani conveyed through social media on August 21.
