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First video of chemical weapons being transported out of Syria

by Reuters

This is the first video that's been released of the Danish-Norwegian Task Force transporting chemical weapons out of Syria.

Filmed in January, it shows the international mission's first operation overseeing the removal...and then destruction of Syria's toxic arsenal.

The troops on this Norwegian frigate keep a lookout while the Danish naval vessel escorts the chemical cargo into the Syrian Harbour of Latakia and then out of the country.

It's a dangerious job. Authorities reported on Friday that there had been two attempted attacks on Syrian convoys late last month.

President Bashar al-Assad agreed to destroy these weapons after global outrage over a sarin gas attack in August. It triggered the U.S.'s threat of military strikes unless Assad pledged to give up his chemical arms.

But the containers seen here are just a drop in the ocean compared to all of the chemical arsenal Syria's declared -- around 1,300 tonnes.

NAT SOT

VARIOUS OF SOLDIER ON BRIDGE / MAN ON VHF SAYING: "This is Esbern we are entering Latakia due to confirmation from joint mission about presence of three containers at the moment in Latakia"

Locked in a three-year-old war with rebels, the Syrian government has failed to meet the February 5 deadline to move all of its chemical weapons.

But all Syria's declared chemical weapons must be destroyed by June 30.

Once the cargo has been transported from this port a U.S. vessel outfitted with special equipment will neutralise the worst of the chemical arms at sea.

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