Syria 'moving chemical weapons' - Panetta

[Gerald]

Fierce fighting is continuing in Aleppo.

The Syrian government has moved some of its chemical weapons to safety as it battles rebel forces, US Defence Secretary Leon Panetta says.

He said there was intelligence that there had been "limited movement" to secure the chemicals, but that "the major sites still remain in place".

Syria has admitted to having a large stockpile of chemical weapons.

US President Barack Obama has warned Damascus it would be held accountable if it uses them.

Mr Panetta told a news conference at the Pentagon on Friday: "We continue to have a concern about the security of the CBW (chemical and biological weapons) sites."

But he said the major sites "still remain secured by the Syrian military".

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-19763642


Note: 28 September 2012 Last updated at 15:52 GMT