UN Chemical Arms Inspectors Heading Back to Syria

By BASSEM MROUE
Associated Press
BEIRUT
Lebanese airport officials say a team of U.N. chemical weapons inspectors has arrived in Beirut on its way back to Syria.

U.N officials say the inspectors will complete their investigation into “pending credible allegations” of chemical weapons use in Syria’s civil war.

Lebanese officials say the six-member team, led by Swedish expert Ake Sellstrom, will travel by road to Syria later Wednesday.

All officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to talk to media.

A report following the inspectors’ previous trip said nerve agent sarin was used in an August attack near Damascus.

The U.S. and its allies say President Bashar Assad’s regime was behind the attack. Washington says the attack killed 1,400 people. Activist groups gave significantly lower death tolls, but still in the hundreds.