THE HAGUE, April 25 (Xinhua) -- Investigators from the global chemical arms watchdog on Wednesday carried out a visit to a second location in Douma, Syria to gather facts in connection with the reported use of chemical weapons there, the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) announced.
"The FFM (Fact-Finding Mission) team carried out a visit to a second location in Douma. It also collected samples at this site. These samples will be brought back, together with other samples, to the OPCW laboratory in Rijswik. They will be split and dispatched for analysis by the OPCW designated labs," said an OPCW press release.
The FFM of the OPCW was sent to Damascus on April 14. Security arrangements for the team's deployment to various locations in Douma were made by the United Nations Department of Safety and Security (UNDSS) in liaison with the Syrian authorities and the Russian Military Police.
Due to the security situation, the team was only able to visit Douma on April 21. The team also interviewed people related to the Douma incident, who were brought to Damascus.
Activists, local rescuers and rebels in Syria claim the Syrian forces used chlorine gas in the attack on April 7 against Douma. The Syrian government has denied the allegations and called it fake news. The West, convinced Syrian forces carried out the attack with chemical weapons, launched airstrikes a week later.
