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IAEA inspects nuclear research reactor in Syria
The UN atomic watchdog said on Tuesday it was inspecting a nuclear research reactor in Damascus because it had doubts about Syria's explanation as to how traces of uranium got there.
In its latest report on Syria, circulated to member states on Monday, the International Atomic Energy Agency said that it found Damascus's initial explanation unconvincing.
It therefore decided to carry out a new inspection of the reactor on Tuesday to check Syria's explanations, according to the restricted report, a copy of which was obtained by AFP.
The agency confirmed to AFP that inspectors were in Damascus on Tuesday.
The so-called Miniature Neutron Source Reactor or MNSR is already under IAEA safeguards, which means experts routinely carry out inspections there.
But samples taken at the reactor in August 2008 had confirmed the presence of "particles of anthropogenic natural uranium of a type not in Syria's declared inventory."