Iraqi Kurds say IS militants shelled village with 'poisonous substances'
| Publisher | Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty |
| Publication Date | 9 March 2016 |
| Cite as | Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Iraqi Kurds say IS militants shelled village with 'poisonous substances', 9 March 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/570cdfce9.html [accessed 6 June 2023] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
March 09, 2016
Iraqi Kurdish officials have accused Islamic State (IS) militants of using "poisonous substances" in the shelling of a village in northern Iraq.
The officials said the attack with mortar shells and Katyusha rockets filled with a chemical agent took place on March 8 in Taza, a mainly Shi'ite Turkoman village about 20 kilometers south of Kirkuk, a region under Kurdish control.
Kirkuk Province Governor Najmuddin Kareem said more than 40 people were hospitalized with respiratory problems and skin irritation.
None of the victims died, although five remained hospitalized late on March 9.
Wasta Rasul, a commander of Kurdish Peshmerga forces in the region, said a total of 24 shells and rockets were fired into Taza from the nearby Bashir area, which is under the control of Islamic State militants.
The allegations came a day after Syrian Kurdish militia accused Islamic militants and other groups fighting President Bashar al-Assad's forces of shelling a mainly Kurdish residential neighborhood in the northern city of Aleppo with chemical agents.
Based on reports by Reuters, AP, and AFP
Link to original story on RFE/RL website
