Khamisiyah
Encyclopedia
Khamisiyah is an area in southern Iraq
located approximately 350 km south east of Baghdad
, 200 km north-west of Kuwait City
and 270 km north of Al Qaysumah. Khamisiyah is under the administration of the province of Dhi Qar. The area contains a few small towns, including Khamisiyah and Sahalat, with an estimated population of 8,500. It is probably most noted for the Khamisiyah Ammunition Storage Facility (also known as Tel Al Lahm Ammunition Storage Facility) built and used during the regime of Saddam Hussein
.
In March 1991, combat engineers and Explosive Ordinance Disposal (EOD) teams of the U.S. Army, conducted a demolition
operation. The entire storage complex, containing massive quantities of munitions, was set to be destroyed. On 10 March, all explosive charges were detonated, and witnesses stated that the resultant explosion yielded an impressive mushroom cloud
. It has not been confirmed how this explosion affected Iraqi civilians in the area, if at all.
It was not known at the time, but destruction of ordnance at Khamisiya is thought to have consequently released nerve agent
s such as sarin
and cyclosarin
into the atmosphere. Computer-generated models based on atmospheric conditions project that clouds of nerve agents would have drifted south and reached allied troops. Records also show that Nuclear, Biological, Chemical (NBC) sensors monitoring the air soon reported traces of nerve agents. These NBC detection units were military units of several allied countries, including the United States
, United Kingdom
, and Poland
.
and in the nearby town of An Nasiriyah. By 1996, it became clear to the Department of Defense that nerve agents were present at the Khamisiya storage facilities. In April 2002, the United States Department of Defense
released two reports related to operations at Khamisiyah during the Gulf War
. The first report is a final version of its case narrative U.S. Demolition Operations at Khamisiyah. The second was a technical report detailing the modeling and risk characterization of possible chemical-warfare-agent exposure in the Gulf War.
Some Gulf War veterans that were in the area have reported symptoms that meet the definitions of Gulf War Syndrome
, while others report no symptoms. The U.S. Department of Defense is continuing investigations or is funding independent studies, has kept up attempts to keep track of veterans and monitor changes in personal status, as well as informing veterans and the public of any research-related progress. The United States Department of Veterans Affairs
continues to treat veterans who report symptoms related to or resembling Gulf War Syndrome.
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
located approximately 350 km south east of Baghdad
Baghdad
Baghdad is the capital of Iraq, as well as the coterminous Baghdad Governorate. The population of Baghdad in 2011 is approximately 7,216,040...
, 200 km north-west of Kuwait City
Kuwait City
-Suburbs:Although the districts below are not usually recognized as suburbs, the following is a list of a few areas surrounding Kuwait city:Al-Salam ""السلام"" -Economy:...
and 270 km north of Al Qaysumah. Khamisiyah is under the administration of the province of Dhi Qar. The area contains a few small towns, including Khamisiyah and Sahalat, with an estimated population of 8,500. It is probably most noted for the Khamisiyah Ammunition Storage Facility (also known as Tel Al Lahm Ammunition Storage Facility) built and used during the regime of Saddam Hussein
Saddam Hussein
Saddam Hussein Abd al-Majid al-Tikriti was the fifth President of Iraq, serving in this capacity from 16 July 1979 until 9 April 2003...
.
Persian Gulf War
The Khamisiya Ammunition Storage Facility was a site approximately 25 square kilometres in area and consisted of two sections: one of 88 warehouses; the other of 100 hardened concrete bunkers surrounded by an earth berm and security fencing. The storage complex was in use by 1982.In March 1991, combat engineers and Explosive Ordinance Disposal (EOD) teams of the U.S. Army, conducted a demolition
Demolition
Demolition is the tearing-down of buildings and other structures, the opposite of construction. Demolition contrasts with deconstruction, which involves taking a building apart while carefully preserving valuable elements for re-use....
operation. The entire storage complex, containing massive quantities of munitions, was set to be destroyed. On 10 March, all explosive charges were detonated, and witnesses stated that the resultant explosion yielded an impressive mushroom cloud
Mushroom cloud
A mushroom cloud is a distinctive pyrocumulus mushroom-shaped cloud of condensed water vapor or debris resulting from a very large explosion. They are most commonly associated with nuclear explosions, but any sufficiently large blast will produce the same sort of effect. They can be caused by...
. It has not been confirmed how this explosion affected Iraqi civilians in the area, if at all.
It was not known at the time, but destruction of ordnance at Khamisiya is thought to have consequently released nerve agent
Nerve agent
Nerve agents are a class of phosphorus-containing organic chemicals that disrupt the mechanism by which nerves transfer messages to organs...
s such as sarin
Sarin
Sarin, or GB, is an organophosphorus compound with the formula [2CHO]CH3PF. It is a colorless, odorless liquid, which is used as a chemical weapon. It has been classified as a weapon of mass destruction in UN Resolution 687...
and cyclosarin
Cyclosarin
Cyclosarin or GF is an extremely toxic substance used as a chemical weapon. It is a member of the G-series family of nerve agents, a group of chemical weapons discovered and synthesized by a German team led by Dr. Gerhard Schrader. The major nerve gases are the G agents, sarin , soman, tabun, and...
into the atmosphere. Computer-generated models based on atmospheric conditions project that clouds of nerve agents would have drifted south and reached allied troops. Records also show that Nuclear, Biological, Chemical (NBC) sensors monitoring the air soon reported traces of nerve agents. These NBC detection units were military units of several allied countries, including the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, and Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
.
Aftermath
It was unclear for a long time whether or not there had been chemical weapons at Khamisiya, partly because of an alternate name used by the Iraqi military (Tal al Lahm), and partly because there were other munitions storage locations in the area, including Talil Air BaseAli Air Base
Ali Air Base is a military airbase located near Nasiriyah, Iraq. It is also known as Tallil Air Base. At present, the base is being used by United States Armed Forces. It is called Camp Adder by the U.S. Army; the name "Ali Air Base" is used chiefly by the U.S...
and in the nearby town of An Nasiriyah. By 1996, it became clear to the Department of Defense that nerve agents were present at the Khamisiya storage facilities. In April 2002, the United States Department of Defense
United States Department of Defense
The United States Department of Defense is the U.S...
released two reports related to operations at Khamisiyah during the Gulf War
Gulf War
The Persian Gulf War , commonly referred to as simply the Gulf War, was a war waged by a U.N.-authorized coalition force from 34 nations led by the United States, against Iraq in response to Iraq's invasion and annexation of Kuwait.The war is also known under other names, such as the First Gulf...
. The first report is a final version of its case narrative U.S. Demolition Operations at Khamisiyah. The second was a technical report detailing the modeling and risk characterization of possible chemical-warfare-agent exposure in the Gulf War.
Some Gulf War veterans that were in the area have reported symptoms that meet the definitions of Gulf War Syndrome
Gulf War syndrome
Gulf War syndrome or Gulf War illness describes a medical condition that affected veterans and civilians who were near conflicts during or downwind of chemical weapons depot demolition, after the 1991 Gulf War. A wide range of acute and chronic symptoms have included fatigue, musculoskeletal...
, while others report no symptoms. The U.S. Department of Defense is continuing investigations or is funding independent studies, has kept up attempts to keep track of veterans and monitor changes in personal status, as well as informing veterans and the public of any research-related progress. The United States Department of Veterans Affairs
United States Department of Veterans Affairs
The United States Department of Veterans Affairs is a government-run military veteran benefit system with Cabinet-level status. It is the United States government’s second largest department, after the United States Department of Defense...
continues to treat veterans who report symptoms related to or resembling Gulf War Syndrome.
See also
- Ali Air BaseAli Air BaseAli Air Base is a military airbase located near Nasiriyah, Iraq. It is also known as Tallil Air Base. At present, the base is being used by United States Armed Forces. It is called Camp Adder by the U.S. Army; the name "Ali Air Base" is used chiefly by the U.S...
- Chemical warfareChemical warfareChemical warfare involves using the toxic properties of chemical substances as weapons. This type of warfare is distinct from Nuclear warfare and Biological warfare, which together make up NBC, the military acronym for Nuclear, Biological, and Chemical...
- Gulf War syndromeGulf War syndromeGulf War syndrome or Gulf War illness describes a medical condition that affected veterans and civilians who were near conflicts during or downwind of chemical weapons depot demolition, after the 1991 Gulf War. A wide range of acute and chronic symptoms have included fatigue, musculoskeletal...
- Weapon of mass destruction