The Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) announced on Wednesday that its inspectors have uncovered significant quantities of undeclared chemical weapons stockpiles in Syria. The discoveries, made during May inspections conducted in coordination with Syrian authorities, include dozens of chemical weapons and related materials at multiple sites.

The OPCW, based in the Netherlands, identified the weapons as the same types reportedly used in previous chemical attacks in Syria, including incidents in Ghouta in August 2013, Ltamenah in March 2017, and Khan Shaykhun in April 2017. In addition to the weapons themselves, the inspectors recovered technical equipment and thousands of pages of documents connected to Syria’s chemical weapons program.

The locations of the findings are clustered around the regions of Hama, Homs, and Latakia, strategic areas that were key strongholds of the Assad government during the country’s protracted civil conflict. The OPCW’s report underscores ongoing concerns about Syria's compliance with international chemical weapons treaties.

Separately, Syrian state media reported that 18 individuals have been detained in relation to the country’s former chemical weapons program. According to the Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA), those detained include senior military officers, former experts involved in chemical weapons, and members of the security apparatus.

The OPCW has previously accused the Syrian government of deploying chemical weapons during the civil war, allegations Damascus has consistently denied. The latest findings add to the body of evidence suggesting that undeclared chemical weapons stockpiles remain in Syria despite previous disarmament efforts and international pressure.