July 24, 2014 - 16:34 AMT
OPCW says almost 32% of Syria’s chemical weapons destroyed

The Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) said Thursday that 31.8 percent of chemical weapons, removed from Syria earlier this year, have been destroyed, according to RIA Novosti

The process is under way at facilities in Finland, the United States and the United Kingdom.

All 1300 metric tons of chemicals removed from the Syrian Arab Republic by the joint mission of the Organization for the Prevention of Chemical Weapons and of the UN have been delivered to destruction facilities outside the country, OPCW Director-General Ahmet Üzümcü announced on Thursday, July 24.

“Destruction activities are now underway in all locations,” Üzümcü told the OPCW Executive Council in The Hague.

In its meeting on Thursday, the OPCW Executive Council adopted a decision regarding the destruction and verification of 12 former chemical weapons production facilities in Syria.

Under this decision, seven hangers will be razed to the ground and five underground structures will be permanently sealed, rendering them inaccessible.

These destruction activities of chemical weapons production facilities are scheduled to begin within 60 days.