Top > World > 2007 > February > 2007-02-27

Iraqi Insurgents Begun Using Gas against Civilians

The terrorist attacks, which have taken place in the last few weeks, may indicate that the Iraqi rebels have entered a new and deadly stage in their war. The rebels have begun incorporating chemical weapons in their bombs. In the last terror attack, in which chemical weapons were incorporated, which took place last week in Baghdad, a booby-trapped truck exploded, 2 people were killed and 332 were injured. Tests run by the US military showed that the truck had chlorine gas, which left victims with serious chemical burns.

This has been the third truck to explode with chlorine in it. Chlorine is a greenish gas, used in World War I. It causes the skin chemical burns and if inhaled may result in death. Many of last week`s victims arrived at the hospital coughing and moaning.

US officials in Iraq say that the chlorine was, apparently, intended to increase tensions and chaos in Iraq, in order to appose the new plans to increase safety in Iraq. A high ranking US officer, stationed in Iraq, said that the attacks proved that the insurgents` methods are flexible and that the militias tend to repeat attacks that gain the most response and cause the most damage. Last Tuesday, a truck full of chlorine exploded north of Baghdad, resulting in the death of nine and the injuring of 148 people, out of which, 42 were women and 52 were children. According to the US military chlorine was also used in an attack in Ramadi, on January 28.