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| Syria chemical weapons: First consignment leaves Latakia | Syria chemical weapons: First consignment leaves Latakia |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| The first consignment of chemical weapons has left the Syrian port of Latakia on a Danish vessel, the United Nations has confirmed. | |
| The ship is being escorted by Chinese, Danish, Norwegian and Russian frigates. | |
| Removing the most dangerous chemicals is the first step of a UN-backed deal to eliminate Syria's chemical arsenal. | |
| A previous attempt to collect the arms was aborted after Syrian officials failed to deliver the toxic chemicals to the collection point in Latakia. | A previous attempt to collect the arms was aborted after Syrian officials failed to deliver the toxic chemicals to the collection point in Latakia. |
| The weapons are due to be taken to Italy, where they will be loaded on to a US Navy ship and shipped into international waters for destruction in a specially created titanium tank on board. | |
| The agreement was brokered by the US and Russia after rockets filled with the nerve agent sarin were fired at three towns in the Ghouta agricultural belt around the Syrian capital Damascus on 21 August. | |
| Hundreds of people were killed in the attacks. | |
| Western powers said only Syrian government forces could have carried out the assault, but President Bashar al-Assad blamed rebel fighters. | |
| Under the deal, the complete elimination of all chemical weapons material and equipment must be completed by the first half of 2014. | |
| The "most critical" chemicals include about 20 tonnes of the blister agent sulphur mustard. | |
| How the plan will unfold |