At least 5,000 chemical warheads were discovered in Iraq during Operation Iraqi Freedom after the US invasion in 2003.
Many of the munitions were discovered at the Al Muthanna compound which is now held by ISIS.
In July ISIS looted Iraq’s largest chemical weapons plant in al Muthanna.
A file photo of the Al Muthanna chemical weapons plant north of Baghdad.
The Pentagon kept this information confidential for several years.
The New York Times reported:
From 2004 to 2011, American and American-trained Iraqi troops repeatedly encountered, and on at least six occasions were wounded by, chemical weapons remaining from years earlier in Saddam Hussein’s rule.
In all, American troops secretly reported finding roughly 5,000 chemical warheads, shells or aviation bombs, according to interviews with dozens of participants, Iraqi and American officials, and heavily redacted intelligence documents obtained under the Freedom of Information Act…
…The New York Times found 17 American service members and seven Iraqi police officers who were exposed to nerve or mustard agents after 2003. American officials said that the actual tally of exposed troops was slightly higher, but that the government’s official count was classified.
A map of the chemical munitions found in Iraq from 2004 to 2010. (New York Times)
Chemical warfare agent filled aerial bombs await destruction at Muthanna complex Iraq in an undated file photo. (Photo: Reuters)
Thousands of chemical weapons discovered at a complex now held by ISIS.
Via America’s Newsroom:
