The United Nations Security Council will vote today on whether to extend an international investigation of chemical weapons attacks in Syria – a measure that could be vetoed by Russia. <br/><br/>The United States requested a vote on a draft resolution it presented last week that would allow the joint UN-Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) panel to continue for another year on its work of identifying who is behind toxic gas attacks in Syria's six-year war. <br/><br/>The measure is facing a possible veto from Russia, Syria's ally, which wants to first see a report due on Thursday on a sarin gas attack in Khan Sheikhun before deciding on the fate of the inquiry.<br/><br/>US Ambassador Nikki Haley has urged the council to act<br/>now to support the continued work of the panel, known as the<br/>Joint Investigative Mechanism (JIM). Its mandate ends on<br/>November 18.