Other Names: Dair Alzour
Location: Dayr Az Zawr region, 140 km from Iraqi border, 10 km north of At Tibnah
Subordinate To: n/a
Size: 20-25MWt
Status: Alleged reactor destroyed

On 6 September 2007, Israeli warplanes destroyed a building near the Euphrates river in northeastern Syria. The structure is alleged to have been a gas-cooled graphite-moderated nuclear reactor under construction, capable of producing enough plutonium for one or two weapons per year.[1][2] While evidence reviewed by the IAEA does not rule out a non-nuclear purpose for the facility, the agency notes Al-Kibar's features were "similar to what may be found in connection with a reactor site." The IAEA lists building size, dimension and layout of the containment structure, available pumping capacity, and positive test results for chemically processed uranium as supportive of the reactor claims.[3] Syria denies these allegations.

In the days and weeks after the raid, Israel maintained official silence. Syria quietly protested the violation of its airspace, but largely refrained from comment.[4] An explanation for the September operation took shape chiefly through leaks from officials inside the U.S. and Israeli governments. In broad strokes, the narrative was that North Korea had helped Syria construct a reactor modeled on its 25 MWt research reactor at Yongbyon. Israel, convinced the Syrian reactor was intended for plutonium production, consulted the United States and then attacked the facility before it could be completed.[5] The Institute for Science and International Security (ISIS) publicized satellite photographs of the site in October and offered cautious support for the idea that Al-Kibar had been a reactor.[6] Other nonproliferation experts, including Joseph Cirincione and IAEA Director General Mohamed El-Baradei, were skeptical.[7] ISIS released further photographs showing that Syria had razed the ruined facility shortly after the bombing and erected a new building in its place.[8][9][10]

More information was revealed in 2008. U.S. officials briefed the press on the suspected nuclear facility in April, presenting ground-level photographs reportedly taken at Al-Kibar before its destruction. The photographs show apparent reactor components and the construction of additional outer walls to conceal the shape of a building which resembled North Korea's Magnox design reactor at Yongbyon. American officials expressed confidence in their assessment that the facility had been a nuclear reactor under construction and that North Korea and Syria were cooperating on nuclear activities. They also asserted, though with less confidence, that North Korea had been involved in the project at Al-Kibar and that its purpose was to create fuel for a nuclear weapons program.[11] Syria disputed the allegations, pointing to U.S. claims about Iraqi weapons prior to the 2003 invasion of Iraq.[12] But Syria relented to an IAEA request to visit the Al-Kibar site, allowing one inspection in June.[13] The IAEA released a report in November revealing that a significant number of chemically processed natural uranium particles had been found during the inspection, warranting continued investigation. Agency requests to visit related sites were denied.[14]

In February 2009, the IAEA issued a follow-up report on Al-Kibar, requesting more cooperation from Syria and revealing that additional examination of environmental samples had yielded further traces of uranium. According to the report, characteristics of the uranium particles found at the site make it unlikely the uranium came from Israeli munitions, as Syria had previously suggested.[15][16]

Key Sources
[1] "CIA director says Syrian nuclear reactor was nearly operational," Reuters, 29 April 2008.
[2] "North Korea and Syria: Oh what a tangled web they weave," The Economist, 1 May 2008.
[3] "Implementation of the NPT Safeguards Agreement in the Syrian Arab Republic," IAEA Board of Governors Report, 19 November 2008.
[4] "Syria complains to UN about Israeli airstrike," CNN, 11 September 2007.
[5] Robin Wright and Joby Warrick, "Syrians Disassembling Ruins at Site Bombed by Israel, Officials Say," The Washington Post, 19 October 2007.
[6] David Albright and Paul Brannan, "Suspect Reactor Construction Site in Eastern Syria: The Site of the September 6 Israeli Raid?" ISIS, 23 October 2007.
[7] Seymour Hersh, "A Strike in the Dark," The New Yorker, 11 February 2008.
[8] David Albright, Paul Brannan, and Jacqueline Shire, "Syria Update: Suspect Reactor Site Dismantled," ISIS, 25 October 2007.
[9] "Syria Update II: Syria Buries Foundation of Suspect Reactor Site," ISIS, 26 September 2007.
[10] "New Construction at Syrian Site," ISIS, 14 January 2008.
[11] "Background Briefing with Senior U.S. Officials on Syria's Covert Nuclear Reactor and North Korea's Involvement," Office of the Director of National Intelligence, 24 April 2007.
[12] "Syria denies N Korea nuclear link," Al Jazeera, 25 April 2007.
[13] "UN nuclear team inspects Syrian site," Reuters, 24 June 2008.
[14] "Implementation of the NPT Safeguards Agreement in the Syrian Arab Republic," IAEA Board of Governors Report, 19 November 2008.
[15] "Implementation of the NPT Safeguards Agreement in the Syrian Arab Republic," IAEA Board of Governors Report, 19 November 2008.
[16] "Implementation of the NPT Safeguards Agreement in the Syrian Arab Republic," IAEA Board of Governors Report, 19 February 2009.

	Updated February 2009