After the war
SIXTEEN British ex-servicepersons, who served in the 1991 Gulf War, have tested positive for depleted uranium contamination, according to the National Gulf Veterans' and Families' ssociation (ngvfa). Depleted uranium poisoning is the cause of a variety of illnesses veterans are suffering from since the war against Iraq, said a spokesperson of NGVFA.
Depleted uranium rounds are prized by the military as they can pierce thicker armour at greater ranges than other high-velocity rounds. They emit radioactive wastes but at levels too low to pose a health risk unless ingested or inhaled. But ammunition containing the metal burns on impact, transforming it into a dust that can be inhaled. This poses unknown risks. In December 1998, the us dismissed as "completely unfounded' Iraqi charges that high child cancer rates were linked to the use of depleted uranium ammunition.
Related Content
- Judgment of the Supreme Court regarding status of Zudpi lands in Maharashtra, 22/05/2025
- Affidavit by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change on the conservation of the water body Agula Bandha, Berhampur, Odisha, 20/05/2025
- Order of the National Green Tribunal regarding restoration of Suka Paika canal, Cuttack, Odisha, 15/05/2025
- Order of the National Green Tribunal regarding illegal operation of a stone crusher in village Mehli, district Sirmaur, Himachal Pradesh, 13/05/2025
- Judgment of the Supreme Court regarding district survey report for environmental clearance, 08/05/2025
- Order of the High Court of Gujarat regarding illegal encroachments in and around Chandola lake, Ahmedabad, Gujarat, 06/05/2025