Russian military establishes safe corridor for OPCW inspectors in Douma

Russian military secures area where alleged chemical weapons attack took place

By Leith Aboufadel

April 11, 2018

AMN

BEIRUT, LEBANON (5:40 P.M.) – The Russian military has reportedly secured the area where the alleged chemical weapons attack took place inside the East Ghouta town of Douma, the Russian Ministry of Defense reported this afternoon.

Russian military personnel have begun investigating the site in order to take samples of the alleged substances used in Douma.

No further details have been released.

The Russian military secured the site of the alleged chemical weapons attack in order to create a safe corridor for the OPCW personnel that are coming to investigate the area.

[END REPORT]

I note that in a later report (April 12, 7:20 AM local time) AMN quotes Deputy Commandant of the Main Operations Directorate of the Russian General Staff, Viktor Poznihir, as saying about operations in the area:

Russian specialists have collected soil samples as well as fragments from the alleged use of chemical weapons, which were later examined and found to have no “nerve and chlorine-containing toxic substances”.

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