Syria allows UN chemical weapon inspectors to search 3 sites

Syria has agreed to allow U.N. investigators to visit three sites to investigate accusations of chemical weapons use during the country's two year civil war, the United Nations said on Wednesday. UN spokesman Martin Nesirky said on Thursday that "On the basis of the information evaluated by the UN mission to date and to further the understanding reached with the Syrian government, the mission will travel to Syria as soon as possible to contemporaneously investigate three of the reported incidents, including Khan al-Asal." The inspectors, who were led by Swedish expert Ake Sellstrom, were being assembled in Europe and could go to Syria as soon as next week. The UN fact-finding mission, set up in March at the request of the Syrian government, will investigate the alleged use of chemical weapons at the Khan al-Asal town in Aleppo. At least 25 people were killed and 130 others wounded on March 19 when armed men fired a rocket stuffed with chemical materials at Khan al-Asal. "The Mission will travel to Syria as soon as possible to contemporaneously investigate three of the reported incidents, including Khan al-Asal," U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon's press office said in a statement.