The Islamic State (ISIS) is using humans as guinea pigs to test out the effects of chemical weapons before deploying them against Western forces.

Internal documents sourced from the recaptured Mosul University and obtained by The Times show that ISIS has experimented with poisoning prisoners through the use of chemical compounds like thalium.

The documents show that researchers fed one of the prisoners thalium sulphate, and he died a painful death 10 days later after suffering from brain swelling.

ISIS researchers also used a nicotine compound on another prisoner. The compound has no antidote, and the prisoner died within hours.

The New York Times reported in late 2016 that ISIS has used chemical weapons at least 52 times in both Syria and Iraq.

A large number of attacks took place in Mosul, more than 15 of which have taken place in the area after April 14.

“ISIL has used them in Iraq and Syria in the past, and we expect them to continue employing these types of weapons,” Army Col. John Dorrian, spokesman for Operation Inherent Resolve, told The New York Times.

Long before Iraqi forces closed in on Mosul, ISIS leadership relocated chemical weapons researchers to Raqqa, Syria, and since then, they have moved to Al Qaim, south of the Euphrates River.

Throngs of ISIS terrorists, along with the leader of the organization, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, are believed to have moved to Al Qaim as well.

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