Russian officer comes under fire in Syrian Douma
A Russian officer was wounded while accompanying a group of UN security officers into the Syrian city of Douma, Kommersant reported, citing sources in Damascus. The work of the OPCW inspectors to investigate the chemical attack has once again been delayed.
The article notes that Russia’s Defense Ministry has been unable to acquire a prompt comment.
On April 18, Reuters reported that UN security staff had come under fire in Douma.
On April 16, the US accused Russia of not giving international experts access to the site of the probable chemical attack. Britain asked the UN secretariat to inform the Security Council within 24 hours about the placement and work of the OPCW mission sent into Douma.
On the night leading up to April 14, the US, Britain and France made a joint strike against Syrian facilities where chemical weapons had presumably been produced and stored. The reason for the strike was the report that chemical weapons had been used in the city of Douma on April 6 – the last settlement in Eastern Ghouta not controlled by Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s forces.
Western countries have held the Syrian military responsible for what took place. The OPCW has not yet confirmed the use of chemical weapons.