There is no ‘civil war’ in Syria, but a ‘war against terror’: Syrian foreign minister

"There is no civil war in Syria," Syrian Foreign Minister Walid al-Moallem said at the United Nations General Assembly Monday. "But it is a war against terror that recognizes no values, nor justice, nor equality, and disregards any rights or laws."

Moallem claimed the Syrian government was fighting against "terrorist groups from 83 countries."

"In my country, those terrorists violate, on daily basis, human rights, citizens' rights in living and livelihood and the citizens' religious beliefs and political affiliations," he said.

Moallem also said, "we are the ones who were targeted by poisonous gases in Khan Al-Assal, near Aleppo."

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His comments at the UNGA came as chemical weapons inspectors from the UN left Damascus on Monday, completing their second trip to the Syrian capital this year.

Witnesses cited by Reuters said four UN vehicles left Damascus around 1:30 p.m., headed towards Beirut. A report resulting from their earlier mission concluded that sarin gas had indeed been used in an attack on Aug. 21 on the outskirts of Damascus.

This second mission was to investigate six other alleged cases of chemical weapons use. A report is expected next month.

Meanwhile, Lebanese security officials said an advance group of weapons inspectors from the Organization for Prohibition of Chemical Weapons arrived in Beirut on Monday.

Tasked with aiding Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's regime in getting rid of its chemical weapons stockpiles, the OPCW team is headed into Syria on Tuesday.

A plan worked out by the US and Russia to either remove or destroy Syria's chemical weapons by mid-2014 received backing from the UN Security Council last week.

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