Naharnet

Report: FSA Asks U.N. Inspectors to Probe Chemical Weapons Transfer to Hizbullah

The Free Syrian Army has urged the United States, Russia and the U.N. Security Council to expand the investigation of the U.N. inspectors into the Lebanese territories, al-Joumhouria newspaper reported Thursday.

The daily said that the FSA made the request after receiving “evidence that the Syrian regime had transferred two trucks of chemical weapons to Hizbullah around three months ago.”

A U.N. report released Monday confirmed that chemical weapons were used on Aug. 21 outside Damascus but did not ascribe blame.

The U.S., Britain and France cited evidence in the report to declare President Bashar Assad's government responsible. Russia called the report "one-sided" and said it has "serious reason to suggest that this was a provocation" by the rebels fighting the Assad regime in Syria's civil war.

The chief weapons inspector said Wednesday that his team, which went to Syria last month and drafted the report, will return to Syria soon to investigate various accusations against the regime and opposition.

Al-Joumhouria said the FSA claims that the chemical weapons allegedly transferred to Hizbullah are “capable of killing half of the Lebanese population and threaten the security and safety of the region.”

The rebels also claimed that the weapons are stored in Mount Sannine, Oyoun Orghosh, the outskirts of Yammouneh and a depot near the town of Meshmesh, al-Joumhouria said.


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