The chemical bombing of the village of Zardeh in western Iran was one of the most shocking criminal acts of Saddam Hussein’s regime during the Iran-Iraq war.

The bombing took place on July 22nd, launched an attack with mustard gas and nerve agents. Amongst the targeted were defenseless villagers and pilgrims in the vicinity for a religious ceremony. Of the 275 were killed, around 1500 were injured gardens of the village barren. These figures do not include the casualties incurred by pilgrims in the area.

That same day villagers of the region between the towns of Sarpol Zahab, and Gilamgharb were the targets of another chemical bombing by the Iraqi military. In the village of “Nasar Direh” alone more than 600 villagers and peasants, including woman and children, were stricken with lifelong illnesses attributable to mustard gas exposure.

These villagers faced another problem. As farmers, they make their livelihoods with the land, which was contaminated after Iraqi attacks. Worries persist that trace amounts of chemicals may linger in the area.