Damascus, July 15 (SANA)Syria’s Interior Ministry said on Wednesday it had arrested a former senior official at the Scientific Studies and Research Center (SSRC) accused of overseeing the production and storage of sarin gas used in attacks on Syrian cities and towns.

The ministry said former Col. Ahmad Habib Ali was detained during a security operation in Latakia province. It identified him as a former head of Unit 417 at the SSRC, where he was responsible for sarin gas storage facilities and chemical weapons production.

According to the ministry, preliminary investigations indicated that Ali supervised the production of approximately 20 aerial bombs loaded with sarin gas, each weighing 250 kilograms, which were used in attacks on Syrian cities and towns between 2013 and 2017.

The ministry described Ali as one of the key officials involved in the deposed regime’s chemical weapons program.

It added that investigations are ongoing to document all crimes attributed to the suspect before referring the case to the competent judicial authorities for legal proceedings.F.J./ABD