DAMASCUS – A U.N. security team came under fire in Syria while doingreconnaissance for inspectors to visit sites of a suspected chemicalweapons attack, and officials said it was no longer clear when theinspectors would be able to go in.
The inspectors from the Organisation for the Prohibition of ChemicalWeapons are in Syria to investigate an April 7 incident in which Westerncountries and rescue workers say scores of civilians were gassed to deathby government forces.
OPCW Director-General Ahmet Üzümcü said the United Nations Department ofSafety and Security (UNDSS) had decided to carry out reconnaissance at twosites in the town of Douma before the inspectors would visit them.
“On arrival at site one, a large crowd gathered and the advice provided bythe UNDSS was that the reconnaissance team should withdraw,” he told ameeting at the watchdog’s headquarters in remarks it later released. “Atsite two, the team came under small arms fire and an explosive wasdetonated. The reconnaissance team returned to Damascus.”