The government of the autonomous Kurdistan Region of Iraq announced on Saturday, March 14, that it has evidence showing that the Islamic State group, known as ISIS, has used chlorine gas as a chemical weapon against Kurdish Peshmerga forces. According to Reuters, the Security Council of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq stated in a statement that samples of clothing and soil from the area where a suicide attack occurred on January 23 of this year were sent to a laboratory, and the results of these tests indicate that these samples contain a type of chlorine used in chemical weapons. Chlorine gas is a type of chemical weapon that causes suffocation and was used in World War I. According to Reuters, independent sources have not yet commented on this report from the autonomous region of Iraq. The statement from the Kurdistan Region of Iraq also mentioned that this suicide operation took place on January 23 and was carried out by the Islamic State group on a highway between Mosul and the Syrian border. A security source from the Kurdistan Region of Iraq also told Reuters that Kurdish Peshmerga forces had fired missiles at the bomb-laden vehicle, so the explosion caused no casualties, and only the suicide bomber was killed in this attack. According to the report, this security source added that after the explosion, several Peshmerga experienced symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, dizziness, or weakness. The statement added that the materials in question had been sent to a laboratory in the European Union. According to this report, the clothing and remnants of the suicide bomber's clothing were sent to this laboratory. Previously, reports had also been published regarding the use of chlorine gas by the Islamic State group in Iraq. Last year, it was reported that 11 Iraqi police officers were transferred to a hospital in northern Baghdad showing symptoms of chlorine gas poisoning. Some Iraqi officials had also previously stated that ISIS had attacked them with chlorine gas during the war with Iraqi forces in the cities of Dhuluiya and Balad. The Islamic State group was able to seize large areas of Sunni-majority regions in Iraq in the summer of 2014.
Iraqi Kurdistan: ISIS Has Used Chlorine Gas Against Peshmerga
The Kurdistan Region of Iraq has reported that ISIS used chlorine gas as a chemical weapon against Peshmerga forces during a suicide attack. This incident highlights the ongoing threat posed by ISIS and raises concerns about the use of chemical weapons in the region. The implications of this report may affect international responses to ISIS and security measures in Iraq.
👥 Key Players
📰 What Happened
The Kurdistan Region of Iraq reported that ISIS used chlorine gas as a chemical weapon against Peshmerga forces during a suicide attack. This incident raises concerns about the resurgence of ISIS and the potential use of chemical weapons in the region.
- Chlorine gas was confirmed in samples from the site of the attack on January 23.
- No casualties were reported among Peshmerga forces due to their preemptive actions.
💡 Why It Matters
📚 Background
ISIS has previously used chemical weapons in Iraq, raising alarms about their tactics and capabilities. The group has been largely defeated territorially but continues to pose a security threat.
🏷️ Entities Mentioned
Translated from the original and edited for English readers. View original source →
Translation confidence: 85%