Destruction of Syria’s chemical weapons begins

Officials say international inspectors have begun destroying Syria’s stockpile of chemical weapons.

Authorities say Sunday is the first day of the dismantling process, which also includes the facilities used to produce the weapons.Syrian President Bashar al-Assad said last month that he would comply with the operation, saying Syria had joined an international convention banning chemical weapons weeks before a U.N. Security Council resolution called on Syria to eliminate its chemical weapons.Inspectors are tasked by the U.N. to dismantle and ultimately destroy Syria’s chemical weapons program by mid-2014.

The push to destroy Syria’s chemical weapons program came after an August attack near Damascus that killed hundreds of civilians, including children.