ISIS used mustard gas against Turkmen, representative says
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region – Nearly 2500 Turkmen families in Kirkuk province have been exposed to chemical substances in overnight attacks carried out by the militants of the Islamic State (ISIS), representatives of the Turkmen community in Kirkuk said Saturday.
Speaking at a press conference, Hussein Bahaeddin, the representative of Turkmen community, condemned the ISIS overnight attacks on their villages in Kirkuk province and called on the Iraqi government and coalition forces to protect “the vulnerable Turkmen population” in the province.
“The Turkmen in the town of Taza have lived under ISIS chemical attacks including mustard gas shelling. This is a crime against humanity and one of the most brutal atrocities that the ISIS so far has done against the Turkmen,” Bahaedin said.
The Organization of the Turkmen Community has also asked for the medical treatment of the affected people whose number can exceed some 10,000 residents.
“They need urgent medical help and their families must be supported also economically,” Bahaeddin added.
Earlier tests carried out by the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) have verified that militants attacked Kurdish Peshmarga forces using mustard gas last year.
At least 35 Kurdish Peshmarga soldiers fell ill after being exposed to the gas while fighting ISIS southwest of Erbil last August.
The OPCW also confirmed last October that mustard gas had been used in neighboring Syria.
It has not been established where the militants obtained the chemical substances.
Speaking at a press conference, Hussein Bahaeddin, the representative of Turkmen community, condemned the ISIS overnight attacks on their villages in Kirkuk province and called on the Iraqi government and coalition forces to protect “the vulnerable Turkmen population” in the province.
“The Turkmen in the town of Taza have lived under ISIS chemical attacks including mustard gas shelling. This is a crime against humanity and one of the most brutal atrocities that the ISIS so far has done against the Turkmen,” Bahaedin said.
The Organization of the Turkmen Community has also asked for the medical treatment of the affected people whose number can exceed some 10,000 residents.
“They need urgent medical help and their families must be supported also economically,” Bahaeddin added.
Earlier tests carried out by the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) have verified that militants attacked Kurdish Peshmarga forces using mustard gas last year.
At least 35 Kurdish Peshmarga soldiers fell ill after being exposed to the gas while fighting ISIS southwest of Erbil last August.
The OPCW also confirmed last October that mustard gas had been used in neighboring Syria.
It has not been established where the militants obtained the chemical substances.