UN: Not One Chemical Attack in Syria—There Were 5

Chemical weapons were probably used in four locations in Syria this year, in addition to the confirmed attack near Damascus in August that forced the government to abandon its secret chemical stockpile, according to a report from UN inspectors. The experts examined seven alleged chemical weapons attacks and said they lacked information to corroborate the allegations at two locations. The inspectors' limited mandate barred them from identifying whether the government or opposition fighters were responsible for any of the attacks.

The inspectors say they found "clear and convincing evidence that surface-to-surface rockets containing the nerve agent sarin were used" in the August attack outside Damascus believed to have killed 1,400 people. The report says the UN investigative team was unable to make on-site visits to almost all of the sites where chemical weapons allegedly were used, mostly because of poor security conditions. UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon plans to address the world body's General Assembly today about the report's findings. (More Syria stories.)