US Military Using White Phosphorus In Iraq

The US military is said to be using White Phosphorus on Islamist militants in Iraq. The incendiary weapon is capable of inflicting severe wounds on its victims and setting ablaze residential areas. White Phosphorus was widely used during Operation Cast Lead by Israel in Gaza. The Saudis regularly use the indiscriminate weapon in the Yemen war. US forces use it in Iraq to create signals and smokescreens, according to the US-led coalition.  RT.com reports: Images posted on a Pentagon-run public affairs website Dvids show a US Army artillery unit firing white phosphorus munitions in Iraq, identified by the Washington Post as M825A1 155mm shells. WARNING: VIDEO CONTAINS GRAPHIC CONTENT The M825A1 shells are generally used to create a smokescreen lasting for up to 10 minutes, or make signals and markings for friendly troops. But when used indiscriminately in civilian-populated areas, white phosphorus munitions can cause severe burns. “Coalition forces use these rounds with caution and always in accordance with the Law of Armed Conflict,” Colonel Joseph Scrocca, public affairs director for the US-led coalition, told the newspaper in an emailed statement on Wednesday. “When M825A1 rounds are employed, they are done so in areas free of civilians and never against enemy forces,” he said, [...]

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