Confusion over whether inspectors have access to ‘chemical attack site’

International chemical weapons inspectors do not appear to have visited the site of a suspected attack in Syria after days of delays by Syrian and Russian authorities.

Syrian state media reported on Tuesday that inspectors from the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons had entered the town of Douma.

Syria’s UN ambassador, Bashar Ja’afari, later said only a UN advance security team had entered.

The US State Department has accused the Syrian government and its ally Russia of trying to cover up the alleged April 7 attack.

Spokeswoman Heather Nauert said the US did not believe the inspectors had entered Douma, and that the evidence is at risk of decaying as delays drag on.

There was no comment from the OPCW or the UN on Wednesday.