Concerns grow over potential theft of Assad's chemical weapons after airstrikes in Syria

Concerns are rising that terrorist groups could seize Bashar al-Assad's remaining chemical weapons after recent U.S. and Israeli airstrikes targeted military bases in Syria. These strikes aim to eliminate stockpiles of poison gas and nerve agents left by the Assad regime. Syria had agreed to dismantle its chemical weapons program in 2013, but reports suggest it retained some stockpiles. The Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons has expressed serious concerns about gaps in Syria's declarations regarding its chemical arsenal. Assad's regime ended in December 2024 after rebel forces captured Damascus, forcing him to flee to Russia. The fall of Assad has raised fears of a power vacuum in Syria, prompting increased military actions by the U.S. and Israel to secure dangerous materials.