ISIS is forming a “chemical weapons cell” made up of countless experts from Iraq and Syria, New York Post reports.
A US official told CNN that the terror group is gathering all of its chemical weapons specialists from across the Middle East and bringing them to their new “de facto” capital in the Euphrates River Valley.
Located in Syria, between Mayadin and al Qaim, the cell will sit just across the Iraqi border — and will be composed of people who’ve never worked together.
A defense official told CNN that “thousands” of ISIS operatives and sympathizers are believed to be in the area, and that Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al Baghdadi may also be hunkered down there.
The region has served as headquarters for the group in the wake of the US-led offensive on Raqqa, its one-time capital.
