Inspection of Syria's chemical weapons sites nearly complete

DAMASCUS, Syria, Nov. 7 (UPI) -- Examinations of Syria's hard-to-reach chemical weapons sites have been completed remotely, with the overall mission nearly completed, officials said.

Inspectors overseeing Syria's effort to destroy its chemical weapons stockpiles say they have verified that 22 of the 23 sites disclosed by Damascus have been examined, CNN reported Thursday.

"As per the declaration by Syria, the site was confirmed as dismantled and long abandoned with the building showing extensive battle damage," said a statement from the joint mission between the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons and the United Nations.

The OPCW said that some of the chemical weapons sites were difficult to reach and had to be accessed remotely, the Wall Street Journal reported.

"The verification was conducted with the support of sealed cameras used by Syrian personnel as per the inspection team's guidance," the statement said.

Last week. the OPCW said that Syria had dismantled all of its its chemical weapons production equipment by Nov. 1 -- a deadline set by the United States and Russia.