According to the statement released by the Russian center for Syrian reconciliation, which has been observing the ceasefire in the Arab Republic, an exchange of fire between Syrian security officers and unidentified assailants took place in Douma on April 17.
"As a result of the shootout, a Syrian security officer was slightly injured. There were no Russian servicemen at the site of the incident," the statement said.
The Syrian officers have been providing security for UN personnel on a reconnaissance mission to Douma.
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The development comes after Syrian Ambassador to the United Nations Bashar Ja'afari stated the UN security team had traveled to the Syrian town of Douma on April 17 ahead of a planned visit by the international chemical weapons experts on April 18 to look into the suspected chemical weapons attack.
The mission of UN's Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) arrived in Syria earlier this week in order to probe allegations of a chemical attack in Douma, a city in Eastern Ghouta, which is located on Damascus' outskirts. After claims of the use of chemical weapons by the Syrian army had been spread by controversial Western-backed NGOs, including the White Helmets, the US and its allies have accused Damascus of being behind the incident. In its turn, the Syrian government has strongly denied the allegations, saying that they serve as a pretext in order to justify military "aggression" against the country's government.
