ISLAMIC STATE/CHEMICAL WEAPONS USE

The White House has said it is likely that Islamic State militants have used mustard gas in an attack on Kurdish forces in Iraq earlier this week. America believes this is the first indication the militant group has obtained a banned chemical weapon.

Islamic State could have obtained the mustard agent in Syria, whose government of Bashar al-Assad admitted to having large quantities of the blistering agent in 2013. Then, Syria agreed to give up its chemical weapons arsenal.

It is also possible Islamic State could have obtained the mustard agent in Iraq, as vast quantities of chemicals have been shunted around in a possible attempt to subterfuge the 2013 agreement. Pro-Assad forces have gathered throughout Syria and Iraq in attempt to defeat Islamic State. The United States has not specified where or when exactly the attack took place, or whether the mustard gas attack caused casualties. The White House’s National Security Council has said it is seeking more information.

Recently, U.S. intelligence agencies have said they believed Islamic State has used chlorine gas in attacks in Iraq. Chlorine is not a banned chemical agent and is normally dropped in barrel bombs from helicopters.