ISIS's Use of Chemical Bullets to Halt Iraqi Forces Operations

Iraqi army sources reported two instances of ISIS using chemical weapons against Iraqi forces during the Mosul recapture operations, resulting in injuries to a limited number of Iraqi soldiers. The Associated Press reported on Sunday evening, citing General Yahya Rasool, spokesperson for the Joint Operations Command of Iraq, that in an attack that day in western Mosul, the Islamic State group used an unknown gas, injuring six soldiers who were hospitalized. This Iraqi military official stated that investigations to identify the chemical gas used in this attack are ongoing. Following this attack, several masks and related equipment were distributed among Iraqi forces to prepare for potential future movements. On the same day, Agence France-Presse reported, citing a statement from the Joint Operations Command of Iraq, that ISIS had also attempted to stop the advance of Iraqi forces on Saturday by using toxic chemical-laden ammunition, but the damage was limited. According to this report, the attack on Saturday did not result in any fatalities but injured a few security forces. It remains unclear whether this attack occurred within the city of Mosul or in its outskirts. Agence France-Presse noted in its report that ISIS occasionally conducts attacks using chemical weapons, but the scope of such attacks and their impact on Iraqi military operations has been limited. In recent months, Iraqi government forces have managed to regain control of the eastern part of Mosul from ISIS, and since then, groups of pro-government militias have been engaged in combating ISIS in western Mosul. The Islamic State group has controlled parts of northern and western Iraq since 2014, although Iraqi forces, supported by airstrikes from the U.S.-led coalition, have successfully reclaimed a large portion of these areas. In addition to western Mosul, ISIS also controls parts of Kirkuk province and areas in western Iraq.