Isis chemical weapons specialist 'who served Saddam Hussein' killed in Iraq air strike, claims US
US Central Command says Abu Malik was killed on 24 January
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.US authorities have claimed a chemical weapons expert working with Isis has been killed in a coalition air strike.
Abu Malik’s training provided Isis, also known as the Islamic State, with the “expertise to pursue a chemical weapons capability,” a statement said yesterday.
Malik, who reportedly served under former Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein’s Muthana chemical weapons plant before joining al-Qaeda in Iraq (AQI) in 2005, was killed near Mosul during an air raid on 24 January.
The statement continued: "His death is expected to temporarily degrade and disrupt the terrorist network and diminish ISIL's ability to potentially produce and use chemical weapons against innocent people".
There has been no evidence that the group had accumulated significant chemical weapons.
In 2014 Iraqi police officers suffered from dizziness and vomiting – believed to be signs of exposure to chlorine gas – after a clash with jihadist fighters north of Baghdad.
Although not nearly as dangerous as nerve gas, chlorine is classed as a “choking agent” and if inhaled in large quantities can burn the lungs.
Malik, also Salih Jasim Mohammed Falah al-Sabawi, had been involved in chemical weapons preparation in 2005 for attacks in Mosul in conjunction with AQI. He was also described in the statement as a “mid-level” operator.
Isis holds large swathes of the war-torn Syrian countryside as well as part of Iraq. Military forces – with the assistance of the coalition – hope to take Mosul back from the extremists this spring.
Meanwhile, although the Syrian government has been destroying its chemical weapons, it remains unclear how many of the alleged stockpiles are accounted for.
The US-led coalition has carried out more than 2,000 air raids on Isis positions across the two countries since 8 August.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments