Chemical weapon terrorism in Iraq and Afghanistan

compiled by Wm. Robert Johnston
last updated 5 April 2015

Iraq and Afghanistan have seen intense levels of terrorism during U.S.-led occupation, including attacks on occupation forces, attacks on civilian government and non-government targets, and sectarian violence. Limited attention has been paid to terrorist attacks using chemical weapons. These have been relatively unsophisticated attacks but still represent a problematic and vicious trend in Islamist terror tactics. These attacks are grouped as follows:

At least one attempt to use old Iraqi chemical weapons in improvised explosive devices. This was a very unsophisticated effort and did not result in more than minor injury from chemical releases.
15 attacks in Iraq from October 2006 to June 2007 using chlorine tanks in car or truck bombs. In many cases more casualties resulted from the bomb itself than from the chlorine release, but several attacks did result in significant numbers of injuries (mostly minor) resulting from chlorine exposure. Total casualties in these attacks were 115 killed (mostly from the explosions) and 854 injured (a large fraction from chlorine exposure).
At least three acid attacks on children and others in Afghanistan. The worst of these attacks targeted girls because they were attending school. The three reported attacks killed 2 and injured 19. Such (generally) non-fatal but mutilating criminal attacks (e.g. against family or acquaintances) are a growing problem elsewhere in Asia, such as in Pakistan.
20 poison gas attacks on girls' schools in Afghanistan from April 2009 to August 2010. These appear to have involved the release of pesticide-type chemicals in schools; no fatalities have resulted, but a total of at least 636 children and 36 teachers and staff have been injured, some seriously. These attacks have been attributed to the Taliban and have been connected with threats against girls pursuing educations.
9 poison attacks on police and other civilians, Afghanistan, from March 2012 to April 2013. In most cases poison was placed in food, followed by armed attacks on incapacitated survivors. In total at least 53 were killed and 40 or more injured.
16 poison attacks in Takhar province, Afghanistan, from April 2012 to July 2012 on girls' schools. Several (if not all) of these cases involved poisoning of the school's water supply. A total of 1,355 children and 28 teachers and staff were injured in these attacks. In June Afghan authorities made arrests in the cases, implicating the Taliban as well as international terrorists. However, the World Health Organization has claimed that the cases are the result of mass hysteria, with no confirmation of the presence of a poison.
7 poison attacks on girls' schools in Afghanistan, from April 2013 to June 2013. These attacks apparently involved gas, with many victims losing consciousness and/or requiring hospitalization. A total of 569 children were injured. Not all are confirmed to have involved intentional poisonings, as mass hysteria is proposed to explain some cases.
4 attacks on defending troops and civilians in Iraq, from September 2014 to January 2015. These attacks by Islamic State militants mostly used chlorine with one possibly using mustard gas.

Total identified attacks:

in Iraq, 19 (2004-2015), 115 killed, 925 injured.
in Afghanistan, 55 (2008-2013), 55 killed, 2,683 injured (note: not all cases are confirmed).

Listing of attacks:

date location method and target total casualties child casualties

killed injured killed injured

16 May 2004 Baghdad, Iraq attempted use of IED with artillery shell containing binary sarin agents 0 2 0 0

21 Oct 2006 Ramadi, Iraq car bombing with chlorine tanks 0 4 0 0

28 Jan 2007 Ramadi, Iraq suicide bombing with dump truck carrying chlorine tank 16

19 Feb 2007 Ramadi, Iraq suicide car bombing involving chlorine release 2 16 0

20 Feb 2007 Taji, Iraq bombing of chlorine tanker truck 9 150 0 52

21 Feb 2007 Baghdad, Iraq explosion of car bomb carrying chlorine tanks 6 73

16 Mar 2007 Ramadi, Iraq suicide bombing with pickup truck carrying chlorine tanks 0 2 0

16 Mar 2007 Falluja, Iraq suicide bombing with dump truck carrying chlorine tanks 2 100

16 Mar 2007 Falluja, Iraq suicide bombing with dump truck carrying chlorine tanks 6 250 0 7

28 Mar 2007 Falluja, Iraq truck bombing involving chlorine in attack on government center 0 71 0 0

6 Apr 2007 Ramadi, Iraq suicide bombing with truck carrying chlorine tanks 35 50

25 Apr 2007 Baghdad, Iraq truck bombing involving chlorine 1 2

30 Apr 2007 Ramadi, Iraq explosion of chlorine tanker near restaurant 6 10

15 May 2007 Abu Sayda, Iraq bombing at open air market involving chlorine release 32 50

20 May 2007 Zangoura, Iraq truck bombing involving chlorine at police checkpoint 0 11

3 Jun 2007 Diyala province, Iraq suicide car bombing using chlorine tanks at US military forward operating base 0 65 0 0

12 Nov 2008 Kandahar province, Afghanistan acid attack on school girls 0 15 0 14

26 Apr 2009 Charikar, Kapisa province, Afghanistan gas poisoning attack on girls' school 0 45 0 40

11 May 2009 Charikar, Kapisa province, Afghanistan gas poisoning attack on girls' school 0 62 0 61

12 May 2009 Afghanistan gas poisoning attack on girls' school 0 104 0 98

21 Apr 2010 Kunduz, Afghanistan gas poisoning attack on girls' school 0 23 0 23

24 Apr 2010 Kunduz, Afghanistan gas poisoning attack on girls' school 0 51 0 48

25 Apr 2010 Kunduz, Afghanistan gas poisoning attack on girls' school 0 13 0 13

4 May 2010 Kabul, Afghanistan gas poisoning attack on girls' school 0 25 0 22

11 May 2010 Kunduz, Afghanistan gas poisoning attack on girls' school 0 30 0 30

11 May 2010 Kabul, Afghanistan gas poisoning attack on girls' school 0 6 0 6

Jun 2010 Afghanistan gas poisoning attack on girls' school 0 30 0 30

12 Jun 2010 Ghazni City, Afghanistan gas poisoning attack on girls' school 0 60 0 60

21 Aug 2010 Kabul, Afghanistan gas poisoning attack on girls' school 0 23 0 23

25 Aug 2010 Kabul, Afghanistan gas poisoning attack on girls' school 0 74 0 60

28 Aug 2010 Kabul, Afghanistan gas poisoning attack on girls' school 0 52 0 48

31 Aug 2010 Kabul, Afghanistan gas poisoning attack on girls' school 0 74 0 74

2010 Afghanistan gas poisoning attack on girls' school 0 0

2010 Afghanistan gas poisoning attack on girls' school 0 0

2010 Afghanistan gas poisoning attack on girls' school 0 0

2010 Afghanistan gas poisoning attack on girls' school 0 0

2010 Afghanistan gas poisoning attack on girls' school 0 0

28 Nov 2011 Kunduz, Afghanistan acid attack on family in home 0 4 0 3

Mar 2012 Yahya Khel district, Paktika province, Afghanistan poisoning and armed attack on police 9 0 0 0

31 Mar 2012 Esfandi area, Ghazni province, Afghanistan acid attack on children 2 0 2 0

17 Apr 2012 Rustaq district, Takhar province, Afghanistan water poisoning attack on girls' school 0 171 0 150

22 May 2012 Taloqan, Takhar province, Afghanistan water poisoning attack on girls' school 0 84 0 80

26 May 2012 Taloqan, Takhar province, Afghanistan poisoning attack on girls' school 0 40 0 40

28 May 2012 Takhar province, Afghanistan poisoning attack on girls' school 0 124 0 121

2 Jun 2012 Taloqan, Takhar province, Afghanistan poisoning attack on girls' school 0 20 0 20

3 Jun 2012 Farkhar district, Takhar province, Afghanistan poisoning attack on girls' school 0 65 0 65

5 Jun 2012 Rustaq district, Takhar province, Afghanistan poisoning attack on girls' school 0 60 0 60

Jun 2012 Bamyan province, Afghanistan gas poisoning attack on girls' school 0 2+ 0 2+

19 Jun 2012 Bamyan province, Afghanistan gas poisoning attack on girls' school 0 47 0 47

22 Jun 2012 Sar-e-Pul province, Afghanistan poisoning attack on girls' high school 0 118 0 118

23 Jun 2012 Sar-e-Pul, Sar-e-Pul province, Afghanistan poisoning attack on girls' school 0 94 0 94

25 Jun 2012 Sar-e-Pul province, Afghanistan poisoning attack on girls' high school 0 90 0 90

25 Jun 2012 Lashkargah, Afghanistan poisoning at police academy 0 40 0 0

30 Jun 2012 Sar-e-Pul, Sar-e-Pul province, Afghanistan poisoning attack on girls' school 0 53 0 53

2 Jul 2012 Sheberghan province, Afghanistan poisoning attack on girls' school 0 255 0 255

Jul 2012 Jawzjan province, Afghanistan poisoning attack on girls' school 0 100 0 100

7 Jul 2012 Jawzjan province, Afghanistan poisoning attack on girls' school 0 60 0 60

19 Dec 2012 Spin Boldak district, Kandahar province, Afghanistan poisoning attack on police 4 0 0 0

Dec 2012 Afghanistan poisoning attack on police ? 0 0 0

Dec 2012 Afghanistan poisoning attack on police ? 0 0 0

Jan 2013 Panjwai district, Kandahar province, Afghanistan poisoning attack on police 3 0 0 0

Feb 2013 Andar district, Ghazni province, Afghanistan poisoning attack on police ? 0 0 0

27 Feb 2013 Habib Godala, Ghazni province, Afghanistan poisoning and armed attack on police outpost 17 0 0 0

18 Apr 2013 Taloqan, Takhar province, Afghanistan poisoning attack on girls' school 0 18 0 18

21 Apr 2013 Taloqan, Takhar province, Afghanistan poisoning attack on girls' school 0 74 0 74

25 Apr 2013 Kunduz province, Afghanistan poisoning and armed attack on police outpost 6 0 0 0

1 May 2013 Kabul, Kabul province, Afghanistan poisoning attack on girls' school 0 150 0 150

May 2013 Faryab province, Afghanistan poisoning attack on girls' school 0 80 0 80

14 May 2013 Balkh province, Afghanistan poisoning attack on girls' school 0 150 0 150

1 Jun 2013 Maimana, Faryab province, Afghanistan poisoning attack on girls' school 0 77 0 77

1 Jun 2013 Behsud, Afghanistan poisoning attack on girls' school 0 20 0 20

15 Sep 2014 Balad, Iraq chlorine bomb attack on defending troops 0 11 0 0

21 Sep 2014 Camp Saqlawiyah, Iraq chlorine bomb attack on defending troops 0 20? 0 0

21 Oct 2014 Kobani, Iraq bomb attack with chemical agent on town 0 8 0 1

23 Jan 2015 between Mosul, Iraq, and Syrian border truck bomb attack with chlorine-filled tanks 0 30 0 0

date	location	method and target	total casualties	child casualties
killed	injured	killed	injured
16 May 2004	Baghdad, Iraq	attempted use of IED with artillery shell containing binary sarin agents	0	2	0	0
21 Oct 2006	Ramadi, Iraq	car bombing with chlorine tanks	0	4	0	0
28 Jan 2007	Ramadi, Iraq	suicide bombing with dump truck carrying chlorine tank	16
19 Feb 2007	Ramadi, Iraq	suicide car bombing involving chlorine release	2	16	0
20 Feb 2007	Taji, Iraq	bombing of chlorine tanker truck	9	150	0	52
21 Feb 2007	Baghdad, Iraq	explosion of car bomb carrying chlorine tanks	6	73
16 Mar 2007	Ramadi, Iraq	suicide bombing with pickup truck carrying chlorine tanks	0	2	0
16 Mar 2007	Falluja, Iraq	suicide bombing with dump truck carrying chlorine tanks	2	100
16 Mar 2007	Falluja, Iraq	suicide bombing with dump truck carrying chlorine tanks	6	250	0	7
28 Mar 2007	Falluja, Iraq	truck bombing involving chlorine in attack on government center	0	71	0	0
6 Apr 2007	Ramadi, Iraq	suicide bombing with truck carrying chlorine tanks	35	50
25 Apr 2007	Baghdad, Iraq	truck bombing involving chlorine	1	2
30 Apr 2007	Ramadi, Iraq	explosion of chlorine tanker near restaurant	6	10
15 May 2007	Abu Sayda, Iraq	bombing at open air market involving chlorine release	32	50
20 May 2007	Zangoura, Iraq	truck bombing involving chlorine at police checkpoint	0	11
3 Jun 2007	Diyala province, Iraq	suicide car bombing using chlorine tanks at US military forward operating base	0	65	0	0
12 Nov 2008	Kandahar province, Afghanistan	acid attack on school girls	0	15	0	14
26 Apr 2009	Charikar, Kapisa province, Afghanistan	gas poisoning attack on girls' school	0	45	0	40
11 May 2009	Charikar, Kapisa province, Afghanistan	gas poisoning attack on girls' school	0	62	0	61
12 May 2009	Afghanistan	gas poisoning attack on girls' school	0	104	0	98
21 Apr 2010	Kunduz, Afghanistan	gas poisoning attack on girls' school	0	23	0	23
24 Apr 2010	Kunduz, Afghanistan	gas poisoning attack on girls' school	0	51	0	48
25 Apr 2010	Kunduz, Afghanistan	gas poisoning attack on girls' school	0	13	0	13
4 May 2010	Kabul, Afghanistan	gas poisoning attack on girls' school	0	25	0	22
11 May 2010	Kunduz, Afghanistan	gas poisoning attack on girls' school	0	30	0	30
11 May 2010	Kabul, Afghanistan	gas poisoning attack on girls' school	0	6	0	6
Jun 2010	Afghanistan	gas poisoning attack on girls' school	0	30	0	30
12 Jun 2010	Ghazni City, Afghanistan	gas poisoning attack on girls' school	0	60	0	60
21 Aug 2010	Kabul, Afghanistan	gas poisoning attack on girls' school	0	23	0	23
25 Aug 2010	Kabul, Afghanistan	gas poisoning attack on girls' school	0	74	0	60
28 Aug 2010	Kabul, Afghanistan	gas poisoning attack on girls' school	0	52	0	48
31 Aug 2010	Kabul, Afghanistan	gas poisoning attack on girls' school	0	74	0	74
2010	Afghanistan	gas poisoning attack on girls' school	0		0
2010	Afghanistan	gas poisoning attack on girls' school	0		0
2010	Afghanistan	gas poisoning attack on girls' school	0		0
2010	Afghanistan	gas poisoning attack on girls' school	0		0
2010	Afghanistan	gas poisoning attack on girls' school	0		0
28 Nov 2011	Kunduz, Afghanistan	acid attack on family in home	0	4	0	3
Mar 2012	Yahya Khel district, Paktika province, Afghanistan	poisoning and armed attack on police	9	0	0	0
31 Mar 2012	Esfandi area, Ghazni province, Afghanistan	acid attack on children	2	0	2	0
17 Apr 2012	Rustaq district, Takhar province, Afghanistan	water poisoning attack on girls' school	0	171	0	150
22 May 2012	Taloqan, Takhar province, Afghanistan	water poisoning attack on girls' school	0	84	0	80
26 May 2012	Taloqan, Takhar province, Afghanistan	poisoning attack on girls' school	0	40	0	40
28 May 2012	Takhar province, Afghanistan	poisoning attack on girls' school	0	124	0	121
2 Jun 2012	Taloqan, Takhar province, Afghanistan	poisoning attack on girls' school	0	20	0	20
3 Jun 2012	Farkhar district, Takhar province, Afghanistan	poisoning attack on girls' school	0	65	0	65
5 Jun 2012	Rustaq district, Takhar province, Afghanistan	poisoning attack on girls' school	0	60	0	60
Jun 2012	Bamyan province, Afghanistan	gas poisoning attack on girls' school	0	2+	0	2+
19 Jun 2012	Bamyan province, Afghanistan	gas poisoning attack on girls' school	0	47	0	47
22 Jun 2012	Sar-e-Pul province, Afghanistan	poisoning attack on girls' high school	0	118	0	118
23 Jun 2012	Sar-e-Pul, Sar-e-Pul province, Afghanistan	poisoning attack on girls' school	0	94	0	94
25 Jun 2012	Sar-e-Pul province, Afghanistan	poisoning attack on girls' high school	0	90	0	90
25 Jun 2012	Lashkargah, Afghanistan	poisoning at police academy	0	40	0	0
30 Jun 2012	Sar-e-Pul, Sar-e-Pul province, Afghanistan	poisoning attack on girls' school	0	53	0	53
2 Jul 2012	Sheberghan province, Afghanistan	poisoning attack on girls' school	0	255	0	255
Jul 2012	Jawzjan province, Afghanistan	poisoning attack on girls' school	0	100	0	100
7 Jul 2012	Jawzjan province, Afghanistan	poisoning attack on girls' school	0	60	0	60
19 Dec 2012	Spin Boldak district, Kandahar province, Afghanistan	poisoning attack on police	4	0	0	0
Dec 2012	Afghanistan	poisoning attack on police	?	0	0	0
Dec 2012	Afghanistan	poisoning attack on police	?	0	0	0
Jan 2013	Panjwai district, Kandahar province, Afghanistan	poisoning attack on police	3	0	0	0
Feb 2013	Andar district, Ghazni province, Afghanistan	poisoning attack on police	?	0	0	0
27 Feb 2013	Habib Godala, Ghazni province, Afghanistan	poisoning and armed attack on police outpost	17	0	0	0
18 Apr 2013	Taloqan, Takhar province, Afghanistan	poisoning attack on girls' school	0	18	0	18
21 Apr 2013	Taloqan, Takhar province, Afghanistan	poisoning attack on girls' school	0	74	0	74
25 Apr 2013	Kunduz province, Afghanistan	poisoning and armed attack on police outpost	6	0	0	0
1 May 2013	Kabul, Kabul province, Afghanistan	poisoning attack on girls' school	0	150	0	150
May 2013	Faryab province, Afghanistan	poisoning attack on girls' school	0	80	0	80
14 May 2013	Balkh province, Afghanistan	poisoning attack on girls' school	0	150	0	150
1 Jun 2013	Maimana, Faryab province, Afghanistan	poisoning attack on girls' school	0	77	0	77
1 Jun 2013	Behsud, Afghanistan	poisoning attack on girls' school	0	20	0	20
15 Sep 2014	Balad, Iraq	chlorine bomb attack on defending troops	0	11	0	0
21 Sep 2014	Camp Saqlawiyah, Iraq	chlorine bomb attack on defending troops	0	20?	0	0
21 Oct 2014	Kobani, Iraq	bomb attack with chemical agent on town	0	8	0	1
23 Jan 2015	between Mosul, Iraq, and Syrian border	truck bomb attack with chlorine-filled tanks	0	30	0	0

Sources:

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RT, 2 June 2013, "Almost 100 Afghan schoolgirls poisoned in suspected gas attack," RT, on line [http://rt.com/news/afghanistan-girls-school-poisoned-139/].
Sajad, 19 June 2012, "Several school girls poisoned in Bamiyan province," Khaama Press, on line [http://www.khaama.com/several-school-girls-poisoned-in-bamiyan-province-920/].
Sajad, 23 June 2012, "Around 100 school girls poisoned in northern Afghanistan," Khaama Press, on line [http://www.khaama.com/around-100-school-girls-poisoned-in-northern-afghanistan-932/].
Sajad, 25 June 2012, "Over 90 school girls poisoned in northern Afghanistan," Khaama Press, on line [http://www.khaama.com/over-90-school-girls-poisoned-in-northern-afghanistan-943/].
Sarwar, Mustafa, and Ron Synovitz, 18 April 2012, "Afghan authorities eye Taliban in suspected girls school poisoning," Radio Free Europe Radio Liberty, on line [http://www.rferl.org/content/afghanistan_poisoned_schoolgirls_takhar_province/24552396.html].
Shalizi, Hamid, 4 May 2010, "More Afghan schoolgirls ill in suspected gas attack," Reuters, on line [http://www.reuters.com/article/2010/05/04/us-afghanistan-poison-idUSTRE6433YT20100504].
Sommerville, Quentin, 4 July 2012, "Afghans fear mysterious school 'poisonings'," BBC News, on line [http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-18118818].
Threat Matrix, 2 Sept. 2010, "Who cares about the Afghan schoolgirls?", Threat Matrix, on line [http://www.longwarjournal.org/threat-matrix/archives/2010/09/who_cares_about_the_afghan_sch_1.php].
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TOLOnews, 30 June 2012, "53 schools girls poisoned in Sar-e-Pol," TOLOnews, on line [http://tolonews.com/en/afghanistan/6703-53-schools-girls-poisoned-in-sar-e-pol-].
TOLOnews, 7 July 2012, "New suspected school poisoning in Jawzjan," TOLOnews, on line [http://tolonews.com/en/afghanistan/6777-new-suspected-school-poisoning-in-jawzjan].
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UNESCO, 10 Feb. 2010, "Education Under Attack 2010," UNESCO, on line [http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0018/001868/186809e.pdf].
Zucchino, David, and Hashmat Baktash, 26 April 2013, "Six Afghan policemen poisoned, shot to death; seventh is missing," Los Angeles Times, on line [http://articles.latimes.com/2013/apr/26/world/la-fg-wn-afghan-police-poison-20130426].

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Last modified 5 April 2015.
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