Since militants fired two shells at U.S. and Iraqi forces at Qayyarah Airfield West on Sept. 20, ISIS’s chemical weapons have drawn more attention. U.S. forces nevertheless say they’re on high alert, and are prepared for potential chemical weapons attacks as the Mosul offensive escalates. Many victims of ISIS chemical attacks are children and infants, who are less able to cope with the toxicity. Gregory Koblentz, Biodefense Graduate Program at George Mason UniversityOn Wednesday, U.S. officials also downplayed ISIS’s ability to produce chemical weapons. The threat of ISIS chemical weapons carries additional weight for Kurds, who were the victims of one of the most notorious gas attacks in history in 1988.

Source: Huffington Post October 19, 2016 22:18 UTC