OPCW CONFIRMS SYRIA'S CHEMICAL WEAPONS EQUIPMENT DESTROYED by Benson Agoha

* Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons.

Syria has finally destroyed all their decleared equipment used for the production of Chemical Weapons.

The move, part of the conditions for the avoidance of US military strike on the Country, was confirmed by the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW).

In a circular on the destruction on Thursday, the UN Mission confirmed that Syria "has completed the functional destruction of critical equipment for all of its declared chemical weapons production facilities and mixing/filling plants, rendering them inoperable."

The Mission this is in compliance with its Executive Council*, deadline to Syria to “complete as soon as possible and in any case not later than 1 November 2013, the destruction of chemical weapons production and mixing/filling equipment.”

It comes as a group of 8, who have been in Syria since October 1, conducting identification and verification exercises of the country's chemical weapons, arrived back to OPCW headquarters at The Haque, Netherlands.

Of the 23 sites declared by Syria, The Joint OPCW-UN Mission said it has now successfully inspected 21 as well as 39 of 41 facilities located in them.

The statement said two sites could not be visited by the team due to safety and security concerns, although Syria said the sites were abandoned and "that the chemical weapons programme items they contained were moved to other declared sites, which were inspected."

With the successful destruction of the equipment, the statement said road is now clear for the second phase of the destruction programme whose detailed plan will be worked out when the Executive Council meets on 15 November to "approve a detailed plan of destruction submitted by Syria to eliminate its chemical weapons stockpile."

* Twitter: @bensonagoha.