US Admits Use of Depleted Uranium in Syria
(ICBUW) – The US has finally confirmed that it has fired DU ammunition Syria, after it had earlier stated
that the weapons would not be used. US Central Command (CENTCOM) has
acknowledged that DU was fired on two dates – the 18 and 23 November
2015. Between the strikes on the two dates, 5,100 rounds of 30mm DU
ammunition were used by A-10 Thunderbolt II aircraft. This equates to
1,524kg of DU. CENTCOM said that the ammunition was selected because of
the “nature of the targets”.
The news comes as governments are debating a UN General Assembly resolutionon
DU weapons in New York. And, although DU use has only been admitted on
two dates, ICBUW and PAX are concerned that this disclosure could be the
sign that DU has, or will, be used more widely in the conflict.
In March 2015, and following the deployment of A-10s to the conflict, the US hadconfirmed to journalists that the aircraft would not be armed with DU, stating: “U.S.
and Coalition aircraft have not been and will not be using depleted
uranium munitions in Iraq or Syria during Operation Inherent Resolve.” Justifying the decision, CENTCOM public affairs explainedthat: “The ammunition is developed to destroy tanks on a conventional battlefield; Daesh does not possess large numbers of tanks.”
Secretary of State John Kerry is threatening to cut off all contacts
with Moscow over Syria, unless Russian and Syrian government attacks on
Aleppo end. The State Department says Kerry issued the ultimatum in a
Wednesday, Sept. 28, 2016, telephone call to Russian Foreign Minister
Sergey Lavrov.
