Special to WorldTribune.com

TEL AVIV — North Korea played a major role in the construction
of a chemical weapons facility targeted by Israel on Jan. 30, a report said.

Israel Defense magazine reported that North Korea helped design and
build the Jamariya facility outside Damascus.

Israel has not formally claimed responsibility for the Jan. 30 air strike on Syrian military facilities. Israel Defense said Jamariya was the key target of the operation by the Israel Air Force.

The magazine said North Korea played a role in the Syrian Studies and Research Center complex, which included training areas, communications center and non-conventional research facility.

“The facility is part of a military complex that includes schools, war
reserve units, training areas for special forces, and a communication center by a Syrian-Korean company,” the report, titled “What is the Attacked Syrian Facility?” said.

Author Ronen Solomon said the military complex at Jamariya was protected
by Russian-origin anti-aircraft batteries. He said the center, founded in
1971, has employed thousands of people, including those assigned to chemical
and biological weapons research.

The main production site of the center was located at Al Safir in
northern Syria. The report said the facility, believed to have been
moderately damaged, manufactures Sarin and VX as
well as stores of the Syrian military’s Scud missiles.

“The events of the past few days didn’t come out of nowhere,” the report
said.

  Al Safir, Israel Air Force, Jamariya facility, Report: Syrian complex struck by Israel was built by North Korea, Sarin and VX, Syrian Studies and Research Center