Details are still scant on what damage was done, but the Syrian government has confirmed that two different chemical arms storage sites have sustained rebel attack.
The Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), which is overseeing the destruction of Syria’s chemical arsenal, also confirmed the attack, but at a closed door meeting where the details were also kept a closely guarded secret.
The OPCW and Syria have been careful to keep details of the disarmament process limited, specifically over fears that further details might give the rebels ideas of where things are and what to attack.
The OPCW missed the December 31 deadline for moving all chemical materials from Syria, but the most dangerous chemicals have already departed on ships, so the biggest threats were likely already gone before the rebel hits.
Syrian officials have made much of their eagerness to be rid of the last of their arsenal, and Russia has promised to see the goods ferried to Latakia ports to be shipped abroad, though security risks, underscored by today’s announcement, mean that’s going to remain a difficult long-term proposition.
The rebels were always the ones using gas weapons. That is why Assad and the Russians were so willing to see them go. We were using them for our interventionist lies, believed our own lies, and so misunderstood everything that explains this attack.
"…most dangerous chemicals have already departed on ships, so the biggest threats were likely already gone before the rebel hits…"
First, the dates of the attacks are not known so the assumption at the end of the statement may or may not be true.
Second, though Ms. Kaag (top UN OPCW official) stated that the first shipment of the "Priority 1 chemicals" were already on the Danish ship (singular) she also indicated that "once the entire stockpile of the deadliest compounds, estimated to total 500 tons, is on the ship, it will go to Italy" where they will be neutralized by the US. Since the Danish ship is sitting offshore waiting, and the size of the first shipment was not reported one can assume that there are still Priority 1 chemicals to be transferred to the ship. So, if true, then there is still reason to worry, despite reassurances.
Personally, I am not reassured that the "rebels" were not successful nor that the OPCW officials are telling the complete truth including not mentioning the attacks in her statement.