Is ‘IS use chemical rocket attack’ on American troops in Iraq? US Probes

Qayara air base near Mosul is home to several hundred US soldiers.

“On September 20, mid-afternoon Iraq time, the Iraqi air base at [Qayara] West came under attack by indirect fire,” the Pentagon said in a statement.

The US military says that, Islamic State militants may have fired a chemical rocket at American troops based in Iraq.

A rocket that landed within several hundred yards of US troops at Qayara air base near Mosul may have contained mustard agent, it said.

No one was hurt in Tuesday’s attack on the base.

If confirmed, it would be the first chemical weapons attack on coalition forces in Iraq.

Troops stationed at the base are equipped to deal with chemical attacks.

“An initial test of the remnants of the weapon used returned a positive test for a mustard agent. The device, likely a rocket or mortar, was imprecise and crude.”

Following decontamination, no service personnel showed signs or symptoms of mustard exposure, the Pentagon said.