aleppo
© Nawrouz Uthman
A neighborhood in the Syrian city of Aleppo, which is held by Kurdish YPG militias, has been shelled with chemical agents from territory held by Islamist and FSA factions, a local journalist on the ground has told to RT.

"The attack was carried out between 11.30 and 12.00 local time. The gas that was used in this attack, caused choking and malaise among those affected. This indicates that the poisoning substances were used in the attack. Four people have been injured," journalist Nawrouz Uthman reports.

Videos posted online purportedly show yellow gas rising over the Sheikh Maqsood neighborhood.


A video allegedly shot in the Sheikh Maqsood neighborhood shows several men experiencing difficulty breathing and a voice behind the camera saying there was a chemical attack in the area. Kurdish journalist Kovan Direj reported that civilians and People's Protection Units (YPG) fighters had been exposed to yellow smoke. He said nine civilians were killed and 29 injured in the shelling.


The Russian Defense Ministry said on Thursday that more than 1,000 Al-Nusra militants, along with seven tanks and 24 all-terrain vehicles armed with heavy machine guns, are currently based on the northern outskirts of Aleppo.

The Russian military also stated that, over the past 24 hours, Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS/ISIL) and Al-Nusra militants have been stepping up armed provocations against civilians and government troops in the area, which included an attempt to capture the village of Handrat.

"Over the past 24 hours [the militants] shelled he village Handrat with mortars 6 times, killed two and wounded six more civilians," according to the Russian center for reconciliation in Syria.

Last month, Islamist fighters used yellow phosphorous in a chemical attack on the Sheikh Maqsood neighborhood, according to YPG.

"We hereby inform you that on March 8, 2016 at 15:00, shelling [was carried out] with rockets that carry chemical material, which we believe to be yellow phosphorous chemical weapon, on Sheikh Maqsud neighborhood by the Syrian armed opposition factions and battalions," Redur Xelilm, YPG's spokesman, said in a statement.

Several Kurdish militia soldiers were admitted to a hospital following the reported chemical attack, according to RT's sources in the YPG.

The victims were reportedly suffering from itching skin and other symptoms of a chemical poisoning.

The ceasefire in Syria came into force at midnight Damascus time on February 27. The truce does not cover groups officially recognized as terror-organizations by the UN Security Council, namely Islamic State and Al Nusra, as well as several others.