Türkiye joins task force to destroy Assad regime's chemical weapons in Syria

2026-03-18 - 22:19

Türkiye has become a member of an international task force established to locate, secure and destroy chemical weapons remnants left behind by the ousted Assad regime in Syria, responding to a request from the Syrian government. The initiative addresses the legacy of a covert weapons program that the former regime operated in defiance of international obligations. International mechanism activated According to Turkish Foreign Ministry sources, the OPCW Executive Council adopted a decision on Oct. 10, 2025 to support Syria in the accelerated on-site destruction of remaining chemical weapons remnants. While the Chemical Weapons Convention places primary responsibility on individual states, the former Assad regime's refusal to cooperate with the OPCW, its concealment of program records, and Syria's lack of destruction capacity necessitated international assistance. In response, the Syrian government established the "Breath of Freedom Task Force" in cooperation with the OPCW to coordinate global support. Task force composition In addition to Türkiye and Syria, task force members include Qatar, the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Canada and the OPCW Technical Secretariat. A ceremony marking the official launch was held Wednesday in New York, with Türkiye represented by its Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador Ahmet Yildiz. The diverse membership reflects broad international concern about securing and eliminating remaining chemical threats. Türkiye's concrete contributions Member countries are expected to provide training, equipment and technical support for safe reconnaissance, containment, storage and destruction of chemical weapons and residues. Ankara brings significant relevant experience, having already conducted humanitarian demining operations across various parts of Syria in cooperation with the Syrian government. Türkiye hosted a workshop in Ankara on Feb. 16-17 with experts from task force members and the OPCW to assess capacity gaps and structure support packages. The workshop helped identify operational, technical and institutional needs for safely eliminating the former regime's chemical weapons legacy while strengthening Syria's health infrastructure against chemical risks.