Konflikten i Syrien

Press review: Who’s keeping OPCW experts out of Douma

Kommersant: UN prohibits OPCW experts from visiting Douma
Inspectors from the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) cannot launch their investigation into the events in the Syrian city of Douma, where chemical weapons were allegedly used on April 7. According to the UN, the situation in the city is too dangerous. Just on Tuesday, during an attack on the UN convoy in Douma, a member of one of the Syrian security structures was wounded. According to Kommersant, the US still blames Russia for dragging out the incident’s investigation.
On Monday, the US accused Russia of not allowing international experts to enter Douma, and reported that Moscow or Damascus could have manipulated evidence regarding the alleged attack.

Anton Utkin, an expert on chemical weapons, and former UN inspector for Iraq, told Kommersant "If chemical weapons are used in urban conditions, in particular in a bomb strike, then 20-30% of the toxic substances are driven into the ground, while the rest settles on the walls of houses and building structures."

"Traces in building structures can be found several months after the incident, if not years. In the soil, if a high concentration of the toxic agent was used, traces would be found within two to three months if there wasn’t any rainfall. To eliminate the traces, you need to destroy dozens of buildings and remove a meter or two of soil. To do this in a couple of weeks is unrealistic," the expert stressed.

According to him, the most important thing in such situations is to find the victims, examine their bodies and interview the witnesses.

Meanwhile, an informed source in Damascus told Kommersant, that the Russian military is doing everything possible to ensure the safety of the inspectors’ work. The OPCW mission was supposed to have arrived in Douma this past Monday. As for any shelling, a repetition of the incidents cannot be completely ruled out, because not all the militants from the armed Islamist group, Jaysh al-Islam, have left the city, some chose to stay and keep up their resistance, the source said.

Father of Boy From White Helmets' Video: No Chemical Attack Occurred in Douma

Omar Diab, the father of a boy who appeared in provocative footage by the group White Helmets, showing civilians suffering from a chemical attack in Syria's Douma, said he is ready to go to international organizations to testify that no chemical use occurred in Douma in April.

"There were no signs of chemical damage to my son; he was frightened but healthy. I and my family are ready to testify in any place in the world, including in Geneva, New York, that no chemical weapons were used," Diab said to reporters.