Study: U.S. used depleted uranium in Iraq's civilian areas

Study: U.S. used depleted uranium in Iraq's civilian areas

The study claims that most rounds used by the U.S.-led coalition were used against non-armored targets in densely populated areas.

RT explained in its report that while depleted uranium primarily emits alpha radiation, some beta and gamma radiation is also present.

Inside the body alpha radiation can disrupt cellular process and damage DNA. Depleted uranium is also a heavy metal and chemically toxic.

According to the report, "large portion of firing coordinates still remain unknown, as more than 300,000 depleted uranium rounds are believed to have been fired by U.S.-led coalition," while PAX said that "the health risk of more than 440,000 kilograms of depleted uranium used by western forces remains unclear, as neither Coalition Forces nor the Iraqi government have supported health research into civilian exposure.”

“The use of depleted uranium against these targets questions the adherence of coalition forces to their own principles and guidelines. They should be held accountable for the consequences,” author of the report Wim Zwijnenburg said, citing Air Force Office of the Judge Advocate 1975 memo that "restricted the use of such ammunition."

“Use of this munition solely against personnel is prohibited if alternative weapons are available because of unnecessary suffering and poison," said the memo.

Another location where depleted uranium was used was Serbia in 1999, when NATO, during its 78-day air war against the country used some ten tons of such weapons, according to estimates of domestic experts.

Western countries that took part in the war admitted the use of this type of weapons only after considerable pressure, but never confirmed any link between depleted uranium and an increase in malignant diseases, including among their own troops.

In Serbia, the Institute for Public Health Dr. Milan Jovanović-Batut announced last year that over the past decade there was a 110 percent increase in leukemia and lymphoma patients, while the number of those who succumbed to these diseases increased 180 percent.

Serbian Society for Fight Against Cancer President Professor Slobodan Čikarić made a direct connection between these statistics and NATO's bombing, and warned that Serbia was facing "an explosion of solid malignant tumors."

Speaking in March, on the 15th anniversary of the start of NATO's attacks, he explained that the period of latency was on average 7.5 years for leukemia and lymphomas, and 15 years for cancers affecting lungs, breasts, colon, and other organs.

Čikarić also noted that a majority of weapons containing depleted uranium was used in Kosovo, and in the Pčinj District.