A visit by international chemical weapons inspectors to the location of one suspected gas attack in Douma was delayed after gunfire at the site during a visit by a U.N. security team on Tuesday, sources told Reuters.
One source told Reuters the advance team had "encountered a security issue" including gunfire which led to the delay, but could not provide additional details. Another said they had been met by protesters demanding aid, and gunfire was heard. The U.N. then left.
Syria's U.N. ambassador said the fact-finding mission would begin its work in Douma on Wednesday if the U.N. security team deemed the situation there safe.
The United States has accused Russia of blocking the inspectors from reaching the site of the suspected attacks in Syria and say Russians or Syrians may have tampered with evidence on the ground.
Moscow denies this and blamed delays on the retaliatory U.S.-led missile strikes on Syria at the weekend.
Saleh said bodies had been buried quickly because of heavy bombardment and the location of graves was kept secret to prevent any doctoring of evidence.
Saleh said the situation in the battered eastern Ghouta city had been catastrophic since the day before the attack due to continuous bombardment, meaning they had had no time to identify victims in a proper way and document their deaths.
"The priority was to bury the dead as soon as possible," he said.
