File: 970613_23400458_91d_txt_0001.txt
Page: 0001
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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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