Syria and Weapons of Mass Destruction - Chemical Weapons

Chemical Weapons

Western non-governmental organizations have stated they believe Syria has an active chemical weapons program. Syria is not a party to the Chemical Weapons Convention, though it denied that it had chemical weapons until admitting it possessed such weapons in 2012. Syria is one of six states that have not signed and eight that have not ratified the Chemical Weapons Convention. Syria reportedly manufactures Sarin, Tabun, VX, and mustard gas types of chemical weapons. Independent assessments indicate that Syrian production could be up to a combined total of a few hundred tons of chemical agent per year. (To provide context for this estimate, 190,000 tons were manufactured by World War I participants.)

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