Syria chemical weapons equipment destroyed, says OPCW

Syria's declared equipment for producing, mixing and filling chemical weapons has been entirely destroyed, the international watchdog has said.

The Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) had given Syria until 1 November to destroy this equipment.

Weapons inspectors were sent to Syria following allegations that government forces had used chemical weapons in civilian areas.

The government denies the accusations.

The US says more than 1,400 people were killed during a nerve agent attack in Ghouta on the outskirts of Damascus on 21 August.

Syria and Russia believe rebel groups were responsible for the attack.

Syria's chemical weapons arsenal is believed to include more than 1,000 tonnes of the nerve gas sarin, the blister agent sulphur mustard and other banned chemicals, stored at dozens of sites.