Snipers Fire at UN Chemical Weapons Team in Syria

The United Nations says unidentified snipers have shot at one of the vehicles carrying U.N. chemical weapons inspectors in the Syrian capital.

The U.N. team is trying to investigate a suspected major chemical weapons attack that took place last week in the eastern Damascus suburb of Ghouta.

Rebels and activists say government forces used chemical weapons that killed hundreds of people. The government denies the allegations, and has accused the rebels of using such weapons.

A spokesman for Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said the U.N. team’s vehicle was shot at multiple times, rendering it “no longer serviceable.” The inspectors returned to a government checkpoint, but planned to continue their work with a new vehicle.