Syria chemical arms removal begins

Disarmament experts from international watchdog have begun destroying Syria's chemical weapons arsenal.The operation is being carried out by a team from the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW).

The mission was established under a UN resolution passed after agreement between Russia and the US.

The resolution followed international outrage at a chemical weapons attack near Damascus in August.

The attack was blamed by the United States and other Western powers on the regime of Bashar al-Assad. But he accuses Syrian rebels of being behind it.

The team "have left for a site where they are beginning verification and destruction," an unnamed OPCW source told AFP news agency.

"Today is the first day of destruction, in which heavy vehicles are going to run over and thus destroy missile warheads, aerial chemical bombs and mobile and static mixing and filling units."