The United Nations chemical weapons inspection team has left Damascus.  On Tuesday, the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) will begin its work to eliminate such weapons from Syria.

The weapons inspection team led by Swedish Professor Ake Sellstrom separate from the OPCW operation mandated by the UN Security Council last week. It was only to determine the use of chemical weapons, not who used them.

The next team going to Syria on Tuesday is tasked with determining the size and locations of President Bashar al-Assad’s chemical weapons stockpiles. 

The team is comprised of technical experts “with UN logistical and security support to get down to work quite quickly,” according to UN spokesman Martin Nesirky, “The recommendations for how that larger mission will take place will be put together in the coming eight or nine days by the secretary-general in close consultation with the OPCW.”

Meanwhile, in Syrian foreign minister Walid Muallem’s speech before the UN General Assembly, he claimed that “terrorists from more than 83 countries” are making up the rebel factions fighting against Syrian soldiers, and killing civilians.