![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
. | ![]() |
. |
![]() by Staff Writers Taza, Iraq (AFP) March 14, 2016
Health authorities in Iraq's Kirkuk region have screened a total of 800 people since a chemical attack carried out by the Islamic State group last week, officials said on Monday. "The number of people who have sought treatment and been checked by the hospitals in Daquq and Kirkuk has topped 800," said Hussein Adil Abbas, the mayor of Taza. IS last week fired a salvo of rockets armed with suspected chemical agents on the town of Taza, around 220 kilometres (135 miles) north of Baghdad. The attack originated from the nearby village of Bashir, which is still controlled by the jihadists. "Among the people who have been checked, 61 are receiving treatment and undergoing further testing. Seven of them have been transferred to Baghdad," Abbas told AFP. Kirkuk health officials speaking on condition of anonymity have confirmed the figures. A three-year-old girl has died as a result of injuries caused by the attack. Her funeral was attended by hundreds, some of them carrying placards to demand more protection from the government. Local officials have said that IS used mustard agent in the attack but the samples are still being analysed and definitive results from the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons based in The Hague sometimes take months. Civil defence teams have since Sunday been spraying and cleaning areas that might have been contaminated in last week's attack, the mayor said. Several Taza families have left their town, fearing a fresh attack. While the chemical agents used by IS so far have been among their least effective weapons, the psychological impact on civilians is considerable. Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi has vowed the attack would not go unpunished and several air raids have already been carried out on Bashir over the past three days. Tension between the Kurdish peshmerga who control Kirkuk and the Shiite militia groups also present in the area has delayed a coordinated military operation to oust IS from Bashir.
Related Links The Long War - Doctrine and Application
|
|
The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2024 - Space Media Network. All websites are published in Australia and are solely subject to Australian law and governed by Fair Use principals for news reporting and research purposes. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA news reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. All articles labeled "by Staff Writers" include reports supplied to Space Media Network by industry news wires, PR agencies, corporate press officers and the like. Such articles are individually curated and edited by Space Media Network staff on the basis of the report's information value to our industry and professional readership. Advertising does not imply endorsement, agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) Statement Our advertisers use various cookies and the like to deliver the best ad banner available at one time. All network advertising suppliers have GDPR policies (Legitimate Interest) that conform with EU regulations for data collection. By using our websites you consent to cookie based advertising. If you do not agree with this then you must stop using the websites from May 25, 2018. Privacy Statement. Additional information can be found here at About Us. |