Salih Reis frigate to accompany UN mission to destroy Syria's chemial arms

ANKARA - Anadolu Agency

Salih Reis will not take any active role during the destruction process.

Turkey is to help a U.N. program to destroy Syrian chemical weapons in the Mediterranean Sea by sending a frigate, Turkish army officials have said.

The Turkish frigate TCG Salih Reis (F-246) will accompany the joint mission that was formed by the United Nations and the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), a statement from the Turkish General Staff said June 29. The operation will be commanded by the U.S. Sixth Fleet’s Join Task Force-64. Germany and Italy will also attend the operation by sending one frigate, while Greece will send a submarine.

The U.S. vessel Cape Ray will destroy Syrian chemical weapons in the Mediterranean and the joint task will accompany it. The U.N. joint mission overseeing the elimination of Damascus’ chemical weapons stockpile announced on June 23 that 100 percent of Syria’s declared chemical weapons material have been destroyed or removed from Syria.