Damascus Accuses Rebels of Firing at U.N. Inspectors
The Syrian regime on Monday accused rebels of firing at U.N. inspectors as they were heading to the site of suspected chemical weapons attacks near Damascus to begin their investigations.
"Members of the United Nations team... came under fire from armed terrorist groups as they entered the Moadamiyet al-Sham area" southwest of Damascus, state television reported, quoting a Syrian official on condition of anonymity.
State television said that security forces "had escorted (the inspectors) to the site controlled by these groups".
A spokesman for the U.N. had said earlier that unidentified snipers had targeted the experts, forcing them to change vehicle.
"The first vehicle of the chemical weapons investigation team was deliberately shot at multiple times by unidentified snipers in the buffer zone area," U.N. spokesman Martin Nesirky said.
"As the car was no longer serviceable, the team returned safely back to the government checkpoint," he said.
"The team will return to the area after replacing the vehicle," he added.
The U.N. spokesman gave no other details of whether the inspectors were in Eastern Ghouta when the attack took place, or Moadamiyet al-Sham, as state television reported.
Opposition groups accuse President Bashar Assad's regime of carrying out chemical attacks in these two areas last week and killing hundreds of civilians.
Damascus has denied the allegations, and on Sunday gave U.N. inspectors the green light to visit the areas to investigate.
Source: Agence France Presse
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