IS again attacks Peshmerga with chemical weapons

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region (Kurdistan24) – Islamic State (IS) extremists used mustard gas against Peshmerga forces in a village near Gwer, 40km (25 miles) southwest of the Kurdistan Region's capital, Erbil.

Extremists attacked Peshmerga forces in Abu-Sheet village in Gwer frontline with rockets carrying mustard and chemical weapons resulting in 6 injuries, according to the Peshmerga Commander Sirwan Barzani.

In the attack at 6:30PM Erbil time, on April 19, insurgents used nearly 20 grad rockets. “Prior to the chemical attack, IS used drones to locate the Peshmerga positions, but Peshmerga fired at the drone… then they [IS] started firing rockets at Peshmerga,” a commander said.

A Peshmerga fighter was martyred and three others wounded in Makhmour frontline last Thursday, after an attack by IS using mortars carrying chemical weapons.

Earlier on Feb 25, IS extremists targeted the city of Shingal with nearly 20 chemical-laden rockets and nearly ten rockets on the day after, leaving over 100 civilians and Peshmerga fighters injured.

Earlier, on Feb 11, IS militants launched a similar chemical attack against Peshmerga in Dumiz, seven kilometers (four miles) south of Sinjar. Eyewitnesses reported that “chemicals used in Dumiz looked like a yellow and brown powder with a strong smell,” a common identifier of mustard gas.

In a similar offence by the extremists on Aug 11, 2015, Peshmerga provided US officials with fragments of the shells that later tested positive for the presence of “HD, or what is known as sulfur mustard," announced Marine Corps Brig. Gen. Kevin Killea, Chief of Staff for Combined Joint Task Force-Operation Inherent Resolve.

Reporting by Baxtiyar Goran
Editing by Ava Homa