THE HAGUE — The Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) reported in May 2026 that dozens of previously undeclared chemical bombs and rockets from the era of former Syrian President Bashar Assad were recently discovered at high-priority sites in Syria. Inspectors from the OPCW gained access to these undeclared locations starting in May 2026 and found chemical munitions, including aerial bombs and rockets, at several sites.

Syria joined the OPCW in 2013 after a chemical attack on the outskirts of Damascus prompted international threats of airstrikes. At that time, the Assad government declared the existence of chemical weapons at 26 locations across the country. The OPCW has since determined that Syria likely maintains an additional 100 undeclared chemical weapons sites beyond those originally disclosed.

Assad was overthrown in December 2024. Since then, the interim government led by President Ahmad al-Sharaa has committed to eliminating any remnants of the former regime’s chemical weapons program. Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad Hassan al-Shibani, speaking to the OPCW in The Hague in 2025, requested international assistance in removing illegal chemical munitions from the country. Al-Shibani said Syria’s new rulers are committed to “destroy any remains of the chemical weapons program developed under the Assad regime, to put an end to this painful legacy, to bring justice to victims, and to ensure that the compliance with international law is a solid one.”

The OPCW has previously documented repeated use of chemical weapons by Syria during its civil war. Assad’s government consistently denied deploying such weapons.