Syria’s chemical weapons destruction in midst of civil war is tough job

Washington –  The destruction of Syrian chemical weapons stockpile is a difficult task amidst country’s brutal civil war and it will require multiple strategies, an article revealed.

The weekly newsmagazine of the American Chemical Society, Chemical & Engineering News (C&EN), explained that nearly 1,400 tons of chemical weapons are stored at 23 locations scattered throughout Syria and arms disposal team will likely have to navigate through a violent landscape to transport them out of country to a safer place for handling.

According to the article, the most dangerous are the munitions filled with “live” chemical agents, such as mustard gas, sarin and VX, and dealing with these weapons will require bringing specialized equipment into the war-torn country.

Chemicals that serve as precursor ingredients for warfare agents are more stable and will be simpler to neutralize, but it could take a longer time.

The article also confirmed that the “live” agents could be destroyed by the agreed-upon mid-2014 deadline.