Halabja Marks 36th Anniversary of Saddam's Chemical Attack
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – March 16 marks the 36th anniversary of Iraq's Baath regime, led by Saddam Hussein, unleashing a heinous massacre on the Kurdish city of Halabja, killing thousands in a chemical attack during the Iraqi-imposed war on Iran in the 1980s.
On March 16, 1988, Iraq’s dictator ordered his air force to bomb Halabja with chemical weapons, including nerve agents like VX and mustard gas, resulting in the deaths of thousands of civilians.
The streets were strewn with dead bodies of women and children. Many perished by water streams as they tried to wash the deadly gas off their faces.
Estimates suggest between 3,200 and 5,000 people were killed, and 7,000 to 10,000 more were injured, the majority being civilians.
Post-attack surveys showed an increased incidence of cancer and birth defects in the region.
The Halabja attack was part of the Al-Anfal Campaign, recognized as a distinct act of genocide against the Kurdish people by Saddam's regime.
The Iraqi High Criminal Court declared the Halabja massacre an act of genocide on March 1, 2010.
WARNING: The following video shows the aftermath of the chemical attack.
