In recent years there’s been an ever increasing number of media reports that suggest ISIS and other terrorist organizations have been actively using chemical weapons in their attacks. And these incidents occur both in regular military operations as well as in false flag events that are designed to provoke the international community. The Persian Gulf monarchies and their “influential sponsors” across the ocean have repeatedly demanded ISIS’ use of chemical weapons in Syria be used to blame the Syrian army opposing them.
However, according to the US government, ISIS has been producing chemical weapons both in Iraq and Syria. Washington is recognizing the fact that ISIS has workshops specially equipped for the production of weapons of mass destruction, including chemical weapons. In particular, they have become particularly proficient in producing mustard gas (sulfur mustard) that is being put in conventional munitions like rockets and shells.
The fact that ISIS has been actively using chemical weapons and may begin to export them to other countries was confirmed by the Director of the Central Intelligence Agency John Brennan in his interview with CBS News. The intention of ISIS militants to use chemical weapons during the upcoming liberation of Mosul in October was announced by the US Defense Press Office Captain Jeff Davis.
On August 23, ISIS militants used shells filled with chlorine gas against the advancing Iraqi army troops near the town of al-Kiyara south of Mosul, hitting the command post of the Iraqi forces.
On August 2, militants from the Harakat Nour al-Din al-Zenki terrorist group described by Washington as a part of the “moderate opposition” attacked the Salah al-Din District of the Syrian city of Aleppo with chlorine, killing at least seven civilians and leaving dozens more severely injured.
In turn, ISIS allegedly used mustard gas in the village of Al-Jafra in the province of Deir ez-Zor against Syrian troops on April 4.
There is ample evidence that ISIS militants are also creating chemical stockpiles both in Iraq and Syria, while rapidly accumulating components for their production. In particular:
On March 4 in the “palace of Ibn Vardan” in the province of Hama, terrorists stored yellow phosphorus for its subsequent use as an explosive, along with other chemical substances, as well as TNT and sulfuric acid;
On May 5, a column of terrorist vehicles brought chemical weapons to the border crossing of Albu-Kamal in the Iraqi province of Der-el-Zor. The group was allegedly heading to the ancient city of Palmyra in Syria.
On June 14, terrorists unloaded three trucks of rockets filed with chemical substances in the al-Bilaas area in the Homs Governorate.
Last August ISIS brought a wide range of toxic substances from Iraq that are stored in cold rooms in a former post office in one of the Syrian border settlements.
A large number of shells and containers of sarin were delivered from Turkey and are now stored in the town of Utm al-Kubra in the Aleppo Governorate.
Jabhat al-Nusra militants have also been storing sarin gas imported from Turkey in the Kafr Hamra village in the Aleppo Governorate.
The Syrian city of Idlib has witnessed 100 barrels of American-made napalm being smuggled from Turkey only to be stored in this city. The delivery and transfer of these substances to radical militants was supervised by a Turkish intelligence officer nicknamed “Meymun,” who previously oversaw the activities of illegal armed groups in the assault of the Abu Duhur airbase. Moreover, the Jaysh al Fateh terrorist group has been manufacturing missiles filled with sarin at this same settlement.
It’s also been reported that radical militants have a large underground storage facilities in the Allepo Governorate, where chemical substances are being stored, including phosphorus and TNT. There’s also hidden stockpiles of barrels with napalm in the same governorate, and it’s been reported that 30 barrels are stored in the basement of the local Yarmuk school, while another 20 are stored in the area of Bab al-Nairab. Sixteen barrels, including those with yellow phosphorus and silver nitrate, are being kept by militants in Al-Shaar for a missile production facility. It’s been reported that up to 20 barrels of napalm are being stored in the city of Sarmada.
It should be noted that the above listed weapons of mass destruction can be easily used by ISIS militants in other regions of the world, including Europe, Asia and America.
Under these conditions in the face of an impending threat of WMD terrorist attacks, the international community must unite in its efforts to put an end to these terrorist organizations and those groups affiliated with them.
Vladimir Platov, expert specialized on the Middle East region, exclusively for the online magazine “New Eastern Outlook.“
