ISIL using mustard gas

[summer]

www.aljazeera.com/news/2015/08/isil-chemical-weapons-syria-aleppo-mustard-gas-150824051212809.html



The Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) group is suspected of having used mustard gas against civilians in Syria's northern Aleppo province.



A medical group reported that those injured after at least 50 mortar shells were fired at residential areas of the town of Marea on Friday were exhibiting symptoms of chemical exposure.






Local sources told the Syrian American Medical Society (SAMS), a non-profit humanitarian organisation, that ISIL fighters engaged in clashes with rebels had carried out the attack.



SAMS said one of its field hospitals in Aleppo received injured civilians with symptoms including respiratory irritation, wheezing, coughing, irritation and redness of the eyes and mucous membranes, skin irritation, and severe itching.



Roughly 30 civilians developed skin blisters, with doctors identifying the cause to be mustard gas, SAMS reported.

No deaths have been reported as of yet.






Mustard gas, also known as sulfur mustard, is a chemical compound which has been used as a chemical weapon during World War I.



The targeting of civilians and the use of mustard gas are violations of international humanitarian law as per the Geneva Convention and Chemical Weapons Convention.



SAMS said its volunteers had taken samples from patient blood, clothing, and hair from the shelling site to be assessed.



Marea is on the frontline of fighting between the ISIL and the Islamic Front, an offshoot of the Free Syrian Army comprised of almost a dozen factions including Ahrar al-Sham and al-Tawahid brigade.



The town is located along the highway linking Aleppo to the Turkish border, which makes it significant for ISIL as to being a way to transport supplies and bring fighters.



The US previously accused ISIL of using mustard gas in July against Kurdish forces in northern Syria, in addition to two attacks in August against Iraqi Kurdish forces.

[IIOY]

Is there anything awful these people haven't done? They aren't human. They are filthy fucking animals.

[summer]

Aug 24, 2015 7:17:09 GMT -5 IIOY said:

Is there anything awful these people haven't done? They aren't human. They are filthy fucking animals.

Agreed. I want them all dead and I want it to be painful. 

[iammalcolmx]

My goodness, they are fucking monsters.

[ttt]

Wasn't Assad using mustard gas (or another nerve gas) against civilians too?? I hate them all. I know that it's incredibly complicated and intervention could do more harm than good, but at this point, I don't see how much more harm could really be done, and I can't understand why the world community can't step in and do *something*. With all the people who work on these things for a living, nobody can come up with any kind of solution or way to stop these people from imposing utter hell on civilians?? It's been four years!!

[jeaniebueller]

Everything going on in Syria is just horrifying.

[summer]

Aug 24, 2015 7:29:50 GMT -5 ttt said:

Wasn't Assad using mustard gas (or another nerve gas) against civilians too?? I hate them all. I know that it's incredibly complicated and intervention could do more harm than good, but at this point, I don't see how much more harm could really be done, and I can't understand why the world community can't step in and do *something*. With all the people who work on these things for a living, nobody can come up with any kind of solution or way to stop these people from imposing utter hell on civilians?? It's been four years!!

Seriously, all of this!!!

All of these major powers....they are all just sit back and just see what happens? ISIL has done unspeakable things. And no one is going to do anything? I just do not get it at all.  

[Velar Fricative]

Horrific.

[Velar Fricative]

Aug 24, 2015 7:29:50 GMT -5 ttt said:

Wasn't Assad using mustard gas (or another nerve gas) against civilians too?? I hate them all. I know that it's incredibly complicated and intervention could do more harm than good, but at this point, I don't see how much more harm could really be done, and I can't understand why the world community can't step in and do *something*. With all the people who work on these things for a living, nobody can come up with any kind of solution or way to stop these people from imposing utter hell on civilians?? It's been four years!!

15 years ago I would have been all about intervention. It is unfortunate that recent events have made it so that people are just plain tired of Middle East intervention considering how badly it's gone. This is absolutely something that deserves intervention but OTOH, intervention has almost always (or just always?) failed in the past and I just don't believe this time things will be different. Essentially, innocent Syrian civilians are just SOL thanks to memories of Afghanistan, Iraq, etc. and that is no fault of their own.

It fucking sucks and I hate thinking this way considering my pro-intervention tendencies.