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U.S. Sees Possible Pattern in ISIS Chemical Attacks

U.S. intelligence agencies believe Islamic State used mustard agent against Kurdish forces for the first time at least two weeks ago during fighting in Syria, a tactic that the group may have repeated in two subsequent attacks in Iraq, U.S. officials said.

The developments are fueling concerns that Islamic State has acquired a crude arsenal of banned chemicals that could herald a significant escalation of fighting in the region.

"It could be a pattern," said a senior U.S. official briefed on the intelligence.

U.S. intelligence agencies have long believed that Islamic State aspired to obtain chemical weapons, but officials said it was premature to connect the three attacks because the agents involved were still being analyzed.

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