On this day March 16 1988 Iraqi President Saddam Hussein ordered a chemical attack on the Kurdish town of Halabja in northern Iraq. The attack which used deadly poison gas killed an estimated 5,000 people and left over 10,000 injured making it one of the worst chemical warfare attacks in history.
Part of the larger Anfal Campaign the Halabja massacre was a brutal act against the Kurdish population carried out by Saddam’s forces. The attack led to international condemnation and was later recognized as an act of genocide against the Kurdish people.
80s insight: The Halabja attack played a major role in the case against Saddam Hussein during his 2006 trial where he was convicted of crimes against humanity.