Kurdistan Region: 'Islamic State' Used Mustard Gas Against Kurds

The Ministry of Peshmerga of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq states that blood tests of Kurdish Peshmerga show that the 'Islamic State' group used mustard gas-laden munitions during battles in August. According to Reuters, the Ministry of Peshmerga announced on Wednesday, October 7, that blood tests and examination of wounds of about 35 Kurdish armed forces who participated in clashes southwest of Erbil showed traces of mustard sulfur in their bodies. The statement did not specify whether anyone was killed or seriously injured as a result of mustard gas attacks. The use of mustard gas, which can cause severe burns to skin and mucous tissues, is prohibited under the international convention banning the use of chemical weapons. In another part of the Peshmerga Ministry's statement, it is mentioned that some of the test results were sent abroad in cooperation with the member states of the international coalition against ISIS. At the same time, the member states of this coalition have been asked to provide necessary protective equipment to the Kurdish armed forces to counter such attacks. The United States is one of the few countries that provides military assistance to the Kurdish armed forces. The statement also presents other evidence proving the use of chemical weapons by the 'Islamic State' group. According to this statement, in one of the ISIS attacks, about 37 mortar shells were fired, which emitted white smoke and a black liquid upon explosion. Reuters reminds that the 'Islamic State' has a variety of weapons and military vehicles, many of which have been seized from the Iraqi army. In another part of the Peshmerga Ministry's statement, it is noted that in January 2015, ISIS used chlorine-laden munitions in another attack, and evidence shows that chemical weapons have been used at least four times. The 'Islamic State' (ISIS) has also been accused of using chemical weapons in Syria. The director of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, the international body monitoring the prohibition of such weapons, expressed serious concern about the use of chemical weapons by this group in mid-August this year. The Kurds of Iraq were victims of one of the extensive chemical attacks by Saddam Hussein's army in 1988, which resulted in thousands of deaths in the city of Halabja and its surrounding areas.