UN watchdog says chemical weapons must be secured in Syria

The Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), the United Nations chemical watchdog, has warned Syrian authorities to make sure suspected stockpiles of chemical weapons are safe following the overthrow of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

The OPCW said it had contacted Syria "with a view to emphasising the paramount importance of ensuring the safety and security of all chemical weapons related materials and facilities" in the country.

"To date... the Syrian declaration of its chemical weapons programme still cannot be considered as accurate and complete," said the OPCW.

"Serious concerns have remained about the completeness of Syria's initial declaration and the fate of significant amounts of chemical weapons unaccounted for."