Previous
Word from the White House that Syria probably resorted to small-scale use of chemical weapons against rebel forces in the country's civil war draws new attention to the internationally-banned nerve agent sarin.
Perhaps the best-known recent use of sarin previously was in the 1995 Tokyo subway attack, in which at least 13 people died. But sarin’s legacy is about to get an update and henceforth seems likely to be associated with Syria and its besieged president, Bashar al-Assad.
2. How is sarin delivered?
Sarin can be deployed as a liquid (as in the Tokyo subway) but it can also be loaded onto missiles and mortars. In warheads it can be loaded with other chemicals or precursors that can convert the sarin to a nerve gas. Sarin-filled canisters can also be fired from anti-tank guns and shoulder-mounted launchers.
Become part of the Monitor community