The Syrian Foreign Ministry issued a statement in which it blamed the terrorists for kidnapping the OPCA’s team

The Syrian Foreign Ministry issued a statement in which it blamed the terrorists for kidnapping the OPCA's team and stressed that the Syrian government can be responsible for the security of the international team only in the areas controlled by the army.

In a statement, the Ministry said that on 27th of May, 2014, the mission's team was informed of agreement on ceasefire in Kafar Zeta area in the northern countryside of Hama from 8 am until 6 pm to facilitate the work of the mission consisting of four SUV cars that belong to the UN, and after some members of the mission's team reached to Taibet al-Imam village, the team was informed of the impossibility of securing them after that point, but they went on at their own risk  towards Kafar Zeta without a Syrian security escorting.

Two kilometers away from Taibet al-Imam village, one of the mission's cars was blown up with an explosive, which caused those inside to move to another car in order to return to Taibet al-Imam, village, yet only one car reached the village whereas the other two cars were hijacked by armed terrorist groups.

The statement added the two cars were carrying eleven people, five of whom are Syrian drivers while the other six people are from the mission's team.

The Ministry concluded that "as Syria puts these incidents before OPCW Director-General, it reiterates that the armed terrorist groups work on aborting the efforts of the mission and commit terrorist crimes against UN and OPCW workers similar to what they do against UN humanitarian convoys.