Thursday, February 16, 2017

U.S. A-10s Used Depleted Uranium Rounds On Two Airstrikes In Syria In 2015

A US military spokesman said A-10 attack aircraft used depleted uranium rounds on November 16 and 22, 2015 in attacks on tanker trucks carrying oil for the Islamic State group (AFP Photo/Sgt. Paige Behringer)

Washington Post: The Pentagon said it wouldn’t use depleted uranium rounds against ISIS. Months later, it did — thousands of times.

Months after the Pentagon said it wouldn’t use a controversial type of armor-piercing ammunition that has been blamed for long-term health complications, U.S. aircraft fired thousands of the rounds during two high-profile air raids in Syria in November 2015, the Pentagon acknowledged Wednesday.

The use of the ammunition, a 30mm depleted-uranium bullet called PGU-14, was first reported by a joint Air Wars-Foreign Policy investigation on Tuesday. The roughly 5,265 rounds of the munition were fired from multiple A-10 ground attack aircraft on Nov 16, 2015, and Nov. 22, 2015, in airstrikes in Syria’s eastern desert that targeted the Islamic State’s oil supply during Operation Tidal Wave II, said Maj. Josh Jacques, a U.S. Central Command spokesman.

When loaded with depleted-uranium bullets, the A-10s fired what is called a “combat-mix,” meaning the aircraft’s cannon fires five depleted-uranium rounds to one high explosive incendiary bullet.

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WNU Editor: I suspect that there probably was an ammo shortage of the shells that did not use depleted uranium.

More News On The Pentagon Admitting That A-10s Used Depleted Uranium Rounds On Two Airstrikes In Syria In 2015

The United States Used Depleted Uranium in Syria -- Foreign Policy
US used depleted uranium rounds in anti-IS air strikes: military -- AFP
CENTCOM confirms use of depleted uranium munitions against Islamic State -- UPI
Confirmed: US Used Depleted Uranium Shells Against Daesh in Syria -- Sputnik
US used depleted uranium rounds in anti-IS air strikes, Pentagon says -- Middle East Eye
US used depleted uranium against Daesh -- Middle East Monitor

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