U.S. Confirms Use of Chemical Weapons by the Islamic State

By Olga Symeonoglou

A U.S. official has anonymously confirmed the presence of sulfur mustard on weaponry used in attacks in Syria and Iraq. It is not clear whether the Islamic State is manufacturing the chemical weapon or using caches of it found in either Iraq or Syria. It seems unlikely that the U.S. would have overlooked any chemical weapons in Iraq, and Syria gave up its chemical weapons pursuant to a 2013 UN Security Council Agreement. Some have also suggested the Syrian regime or the rebels could be responsible for using sulfur mustard, which is banned under the Chemical Weapons Convention.