35 killed, injured as IS militants shell gas bombs west of Mosul

Mosul (IraqiNews.com) Thirty-five civilians, including women and children, were killed and injured as Islamic State militants fired bombs loaded with toxic gases, west of Mosul.

“IS fighters shelled bombs of toxic gases in Rajm al-Hadid area in western Mosul, which was completely freed by by security troops earlier this week, targeting civilians,” a security source told Dijlah TV on Tuesday.

The shelling left six civilians killed and 29 injured including eight children and four women in serious conditions.

Iraqi forces recaptured the eastern side of Mosul in January and launched another phase of operations in February to capture the west. During operations in the east, and upon storming the Mosul University campus, Iraqi field generals were quoted saying they saw evidence IS was using the university’s labs to manufacture chemical weapons.

Last month, the United Nations said 12 people, including women and children, had been treated for possible exposure to chemical weapons agents in Mosul since March 1.

In February, CIA director John Brennan said that IS fighters used chemical munitions, including mustard and chlorine agents, on a number of occasions in Iraq and Syria.

Last year, Kurdish military sources disclosed the Islamic State use of chemical weapons against Peshmerga troops in several areas, which caused injury of several personnel.