Syria says 18 suspects detained over Assad-era chemical attacks, 100,000 documents given to OPCW

Mixed · 2Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani said on Tuesday 13 October 2026 that 18 suspects, including senior officers, are in custody and facing proceedings before a specialized court over chemical attacks committed under the former Bashar al-Assad government. 1 2 Mixed · 2He spoke at a joint news conference in Damascus with Sabrina Dallafior, director-general of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), and said Syria has given the body more than 100,000 official documents; Anadolu adds that Damascus also granted access to records and witnesses. 1 2 Mixed · 2Al-Shaibani said Syria moved in June to correct the declaration it inherited, adding one production facility, two storage facilities and munitions that he said the deposed government had concealed. 2 1

Mixed · 2In August, 42 declared chemical aerial bombs were destroyed under OPCW supervision, which he described as the first verified destruction on Syrian territory since 2014; he said Syria regained its rights and privileges within the OPCW on July 9. 1 2 Mixed · 2Talks focused on a road map toward resolving the chemical weapons file; Arab News adds a proposed joint plan with measurable milestones ahead of next month's Conference of the States Parties, work with seven other countries in a team called "Breath of Freedom", Syria's joining of the International Partnership against Impunity for the Use of Chemical Weapons, and thanks to Qatar for sponsoring resolutions. 2 1 Mixed · 2Al-Shaibani said obstacles remain, including mines, damaged sites and records the former government hid or destroyed, which complicate establishing the full scope of its programme. 1 2

Mixed · 2Dallafior, who took office two months ago, said securing any remnants of the Assad-era programme was a priority from a non-proliferation perspective, called the joint destruction a milestone of multilateral cooperation, and said the OPCW continues to investigate past attacks and identify those responsible. 1 2 Mixed · 2Syria joined the Chemical Weapons Convention in 2013 after the Eastern Ghouta attack; OPCW members suspended its voting rights in 2021, and Anadolu reports that in May 2026 authorities announced finding undeclared remnants, including munitions and sarin-related materials. Arab News notes Syria declared about 1,300 tonnes of chemicals that were destroyed, but a 2023 OPCW assessment found the declaration could not be considered accurate and complete. 1 2 Mixed · 2The claims about the detentions and the documents come from Syria's foreign minister, as relayed by the state news agency SANA; neither article reports independent confirmation, names the suspects or gives details of the charges. 1 2