ISIS chemical weapons expert killed in Iraq airstrike

U.S. military officials say a mid-level Islamic State militant who specialized in chemical weapons was killed in an U.S. airstrike near Mosul in Iraq last week.

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U.S. Central Command says Abu Malik was killed Jan. 24. The command says Malik worked at Saddam Hussein's Muthana chemical weapons production facility before joining al-Qaeda in Iraq in 2005.

Central Command says Malik joined the Islamic State militants, bringing his chemical weapons expertise to the group. Officials say his death could "temporarily degrade" the group's ability to produce and use chemical weapons.

Coalition airstrikes have pounded the Mosul area over the past week.

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