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SERIAL:    (U) IIR 2 340 0458 91.



COUNTRY:   (U) IRAQ (IZ).

SUBJECT:      IIR 2 340 0458 91/CHEMICAL MINES (U).

WARNING:   (U) THIS IS AN INFORMATION REPORT, NOT FINALLY EVALUATED

INTELLIGENCE.  

-                       DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE



DOI:       (U) 900700.

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[b.1. sec. 1.5.(c)]



SUMMARY:                    CHEMICAL MINEFIELDS--IRAQIS SOMETIMES

EMPLOYED CHEMICAL MINEFIELDS IN FRONT OF THEIR DEFENSIVE LINES TO

BE DETONATED BY ARTILLERY ROUNDS AS A SURPRISE AGAINST AN ENEMY

ATTACK.

TEKT:  1.                   CHEMICAL MINEFIELDS--IRAQIS SOMETIMES

EMPLOYED CHEMICAL MINEFIELDS IN FRONT OF THEIR DEFENSIVE LINES TO

BE DETONATED AS A SURPRISE AGAINST AN ENEMY ATTACK.  DURING THE

NIGHTTIME HOURS, SPECIAL ENGINEERS WOULD BURY CHEMICAL MINES (IN

ARABIC--LUGMI GHAZIN SAMIN) TO CREATE A CHEMICAL MINEFIELD.  BY

EMPLACING THE MINES AT NIGHT, NEITHER THE ENEMY NOR DEFENDING IRAQI

SOLIDERS WOULD BE AWARE THAT A CHEMICAL MINEFIELD HAD BEEN

EMPLACED.  [b.1. sec. 1.5.(c)]           --THIS WAS DONE TO SURPRISE BOTH THEENEMY

AND THE DEFENDERS AND TO PREVENT THE INFORMATION FROM LEAKINGOUT.

FRIENDLY UNITS IN THE VICINITY OF THE CHEMICAL MINEFIELDS WERE NOT

WARNED AND WERE OFTEN EXPOSED TO THE CHEMICALS.)  CHEMICAL MINES

USED TO ESTABLISH THE MINEFIELDS WERE YELLOWISH-GREEN CANISTERS

MADE DF A THIN ALUMINUM.  THE CANISTERS WERE CYLINDER-SHAPED,

APPROXIMATELY TEN INCHES IN DIAMETER WITH A HEIGHT OF EIGHT

INCHES. [b.1. sec. 1.5.(c)]        --MINES COULD BE DETONATEO BY ARTILLERYFIRE OR

BY ENEMY ARMOR VEHICLES DRIVING OVER THE MINES.  [b.1. sec. 1.5.(c)]

NEVER OBSERVED VEHICLES BEING USED TO DETONATE OR BREAK THEMINES.)�PATTERN OF A CHEMICAL MINEFIELD, OR THE TYPE CHEMICAL AGENT USED.)

2.                   USE OF CHEMICAL MINEFIELDS--CHEMICAL

MINEFIELDS WERE DEPLOYED WHEN INTELLIGENCE INOICATED THAT A MAJOR

ATTACK WOULD OCCUR AT A CERTAIN LOCATION, OR PASS THROUGH ACERTAIN

LOCATION.  CHEMICAL MINEFIELDS COULD BE DETONATED BY USE OF A

FRIENDLY ARTILLERY FIRE OR ENEMY ARMORED MOVEMENT THROUGH THE

MINEFIELD.  FOR EXAMPLE, DURING THE IRAN-IRAQ WAR, IN 1982, AT THE

BATTLE OF BASRA, [b.1. sec. 1.5.(c)]        RECEIVED A FIRE MISSION

FROM THE BATTALION FIRE DIRECTION CENTER (IN ARABIC--MURSHID).

[b.1. sec. 1.5.(c)]                                        OBSERVEO

THAT THE ROUNDS FELL DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF THE IRAQI DEFENSIVE

POSITIONS IN A MINEFIELD.  (FLD CMT--AFTER THE ARTILLERY ROUNDS

IMPACTED AND THE MINES DETONATED, [b.1. sec. 1.5.(c)] OBSERVED ANUNUSUALLY

LARGE NUMBER OF ENEMY CASUALTCES WITH THE SAME SYMPTOMS [b.1. sec.1.5.(c)]          

EXPERIENCED IN A PRIOR CHEMICAL ATTACK.            SYMPTOMS ARE

DESCRIBED IN PARAGRAPH 3.)  [b.1. sec. 1.5.(c)]            HEARD FROM OTHERIRAQI

SOLDIERS ON THE FRONT LINE THAT THE LARGE AMOUNT OF CASUALTIES HAD

BEEN CAUSED BY THE CHEMICAL MINEFIELD BEING SET OFF BY THE

ARTILLERY FIRE.)

3.                   SYMPTOMS OF EXPOSURE TO CHEMICAL AGENT--THE

SYMPTOMS [b.1. sec. 1.5.(c)]      AS A RESULT OF EXPOSURE TO CHEMICAL

AGENTS ARE THE FOLLOWING--  [b.1.] CHEST WAS CONSTRICTED           

EXPERIENCED EXTREME DIFFICLUTY IN BREATHING.                    

[b.1.]    IS STILL EXPERIENCING DIFFICULTY IN BREATHING.)            

BODY SWELLED ESPECIALLY HEAD AND LIMBS, AND THE EYES BULGED. 

[b.1.]     BLACK AND BLUE BLISTERS ON HIS SKIN. [b.1.]  VOMITED A

THIN GLUEY LIQUID, AND A MILKY WAX-LIKE LIQUID DISCHARGED FROM THE

EARS. [b.1.]               OBSERVED IRANIAN VICTIMS BEYQND THE

POINT OF MEDICAL HELP WITH EXTREME SWELLING OF THE HEAD AND WITH

EYES PROTRUDING FROM THE SKULL.)  [b.1.] WAS EVACUATED TO A

MILITARY HOSPITAL AND PROVIDED WITH AN UNIDENTIFIED ANTIDOTE

INJECTION.  HE WAS TOLD TO VOMIT AND WHEN HE COULD NOT WAS GIVENAN

UNIDENTIFIED JUICE TO INDUCE VOMITTING AND CLEAN OUT THE STOMACH.

OVER THE NEXT 24 HOURS  [b.1.]    GIVEN BUTTERMILK (IN

ARABIC--LABAN) TO FURTHER CLEANSE THE STOMACH.  [b.1.]     TOLD

THAT IF THE STOMACH WAS NOT CLEARED OF THE AGENT WITHIN 24 HOURS,

THERE WOULD BE TOO MUCH CHEMICAL AGENT IN HIS SYSTEM AND HEWOULD

DIE.  (FLD CMT--  [b.1.]       EXPOSED TO THE CHEMICAL AGENT DURING

THE MINEFIELD DETONATION AT BASRA BUT IN A SEPARATE INCIDENT WHEN AND IRAQI RAJIMAT ROCKET FELL SHORT AND LANDED NEAR           [b.1.]                 AL-AHMARA, AND GAS SEEPED OUT OF

THE ROCKET.  THE ROCKET DID NOT EXPLODE.)



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