President Barack Obama almost bombed Syria two years ago for using chemical weapons against its civilians. The President balked back then and a deal was struck with the regime of Bashir al-Assad to destroy Syria’s stockpiles of chemical weapons.
There has been no accounting for all of Syria’s weapons, and experts long feared some of them would fall into the hands of Islamic State of Iraq and Syria terrorists as they marched across eastern Syria. Reports are now suggesting that fear has been realized.
The reports are preliminary, but BBC reporter Güney Yıldız has sources in the Syrian town of Kobane, along the Turkish border, telling him ISIS has launched a chemical weapons attack against the Kurds defending the city.
BREAKING: Kurdish PYD co-leader Asya Abdullah from Kobane told me that they suspect IS might have used chemical weapons against the city.
— Güney Yıldız (@guneyyildiz) October 21, 2014
BREAKING:A top Kurdish official from Kobane told me suspected IS chemical attack cause people lose their sight, stop breathing and doze off.
— Güney Yıldız (@guneyyildiz) October 21, 2014
BREAKING:Top Kurdish official from Kobane told me of a suspected IS chemical attack causing people to lose their eyesight&respiratory probs.
— Güney Yıldız (@guneyyildiz) October 21, 2014
BREAKING: Kurdish PYD leader Abdullah told me "doctors monitoring the victims suffering symptoms of chemical gas attack ie. loss of sight, +
— Güney Yıldız (@guneyyildiz) October 21, 2014
+ respiratory problems. But no confirmed positive test results of a chemical gas attack yet.
— Güney Yıldız (@guneyyildiz) October 21, 2014
BREAKING: They don't have enough equipment to do proper tests. Told me it could be a chemical weapon, chlorine gas or phosphorus shells. (2)
— Güney Yıldız (@guneyyildiz) October 21, 2014
BREAKING: Dr Welat from Kobane: We can't confirm a chemical attack without proper tests and demanded medical equipment to be airdropped. (3)
— Güney Yıldız (@guneyyildiz) October 21, 2014
.@mutludc: "Doctor said they r planning to send affectd patients to Suruc tomorrow for further examination."
— Güney Yıldız (@guneyyildiz) October 21, 2014
Obama has steadfastly ruled out U.S. “boots on the ground” in the limited action he’s authorized against ISIS thus far, but if this preliminary reporting turns out to be true, pressure will mount to reconsider.