Chemical weapons inspectors enter Douma

International chemical weapons inspectors have entered the Syrian town of Douma to visit the site of a poison gas attack, Syrian state TV has reported.

The arrival of the fact-finding mission from the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) followed days of delay but came 24 hours earlier than Russia had indicated.

The attack last week led the US, the UK and France to launch missile strikes on Saturday against three targets in Syria, which the three powers said were designed to degrade the remaining chemical weapons facilities of Bashar al-Assad’s government.The French president, Emmanuel Macron, said that the strikes on Syria had been carried out “for the honour of the international community”. France’s foreign ministry also said it was very likely that proof had disappeared from Douma, adding it was essential that the inspectors be given full access to the site.

Russia has insisted video and pictures of the chemical attack in the then rebel-held area were faked with the help of British intelligence. Moscow also said it had not put any barriers.