Previous reports that U.S. Air Base in Iraq was hit with mustard gas by ISIS militants proven false.
| UPDATED: As previously reported, last week Islamic State militants were suspected of firing a chemical rocket at U.S. troops in Iraq at the Qayyarah Air Base, south of Mosul. No soldiers were injured, the shell was chemically analyzed, and it reportedly tested positive for a mustard agent, categorized as “low grade” and “ineffective.”
However, this week in a tweeted statement, Col. John Dorrian, a spokesperson for the anti-ISIS coalition, stated that “definitive” lab tests conclude there was “No mustard agent present in munitions fired at Qayyarah West AB Sept 20.”
Definitive lab tests conclude: No mustard agent present in munitions fired at Qayyarah West AB Sept 20. #Daesh #ISIL
— OIR Spokesman (@OIRSpox) September 27, 2016
As reported by Lima Charlie News last week:
Nearly 5,000 U.S. troops are currently in Iraq. As ISIS gives up more ground to advancing U.S. coalition and Russian/Syrian forces, there is heightened concern that it will resort to desperate measures, increasing the likelihood of deploying chemical weapons.
Lima Charlie News, with J. David Thompson and Anthony A. LoPresti
J David Thompson (US Army) is a Juris Doctor candidate at Washington & Lee University School of Law focusing on International Human Rights Law. He is a Veterans in Global Leadership Fellow, and brings experience on human rights, international relations, strengthening civil society, refugee issues, interagency collaboration, and countering violent extremism. Prior to Washington & Lee, he served in the US Army as a Military Police officer and Special Operations Civil Affairs with multiple deployments to Afghanistan and one to Jordan—receiving a Bronze Star amongst other decorations. In Jordan, David worked at the US Embassy in countering violent extremism, strengthening civil society, and refugee response with other United States Government organizations, the United Nations, and various non-governmental organizations.
Follow David on Twitter | @JDThompsonLC
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