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Information Paper
U.S. Demolition Operations
at Khamisiyah
- Khamisiyah was a large, depot size conventional ammunition supply point for the Iraqi
army located in southern Iraq. It was approximately 40 square kilometers in size and
contained underground and above ground ammunition storage facilities, warehouses, and open
storage areas.
- The principal destruction of the Khamisiyah complex was conducted between March 4 and
March 10, 1991, by U.S. Army engineers and explosive ordnance disposal personnel. During
that period, soldiers destroyed approximately 100 ammunition bunkers and 80 ammunition
storage buildings. Later, Iraq declared that one bunker, Bunker 73, had contained 2,160
rockets filled with chemical warfare agent. In an open-air location outside the Khamisiyah
Ammunition Storage Point (ASP) now known as "the Pit," soldiers also set charges
to stacks of approximately 1,250 chemical warfare agent-filled rockets.
- Later, during the period March 15-19, 1991, U.S. Army engineers also destroyed another
complex of 400 bunkers located three kilometers southwest of Khamisiyah.
- During the demolition operations, and, indeed, throughout the entire period of U.S.
occupation at Khamisiyah, there were no reports of verified chemical warfare agent
detections, nor were there reports of anyone, soldier or civilian, experiencing symptoms
consistent with exposure to a chemical warfare agent.
- In October, 1991, United Nations Special Commission on Iraq (UNSCOM) inspectors found
evidence of chemical warfare agent rockets destroyed at Khamisiyah. Presidential and
Congressional interest in Khamisiyah and the events surrounding it increased in 1994. On
June 21, 1996, the Department of Defense confirmed publicly that "U.S. soldiers from
the 37th Engineer Battalion destroyed ammunition bunkers at [Khamisiyah] in early March
1991 ... it now appears that one of these destroyed bunkers contained chemical
weapons."
- The early work of the Office of the Special Assistant placed an emphasis on researching
U.S. military operations at Khamisiyah. The first Khamisiyah case narrative published on
February 21, 1997 provided important insights into what actually took place at Khamisiyah
and which U.S. military units were involved. The narrative provided an analysis of how the
nerve agent was dispersed by the wind after the weapons were destroyed in "The
Pit" on March 10, 1991. It also provided an estimate of the extent to which U.S.
troops may have been exposed to chemical warfare agents. The analysis contained in the
narrative was the culmination of several broad initiatives, which included multiple
computer models of the potential hazard area produced by the explosion, simulated field
testing, and interviews with troops present at the demolition.
- The findings of the narrative indicated that military personnel in the area may have
been exposed to a very low level of chemical warfare agent resulting from the demolition
of munitions at Khamisiyah. DoD sent notification letters to approximately 99,000 veterans
advising them of these findings. While little is known about the delayed effects from this
type of low-level exposure, current medical evidence indicates that long term health
problems are not likely.
- Over the next three years, efforts to identify and contact the thousands of soldiers
potentially involved intensified. More detailed computer modeling of events took place to
determine the size and path of the potential hazard area created by demolition activities
in "The Pit." The modeling team completed remodeling the Khamisiyah Pit
demolition in January 2000 that resulted in redefined potential hazard areas. A second
case narrative was released in December, 2000.
- DoD identified 100,923 veterans in the potential hazard areas who possibly were exposed
to low levels of nerve agent. All veterans believed to be exposed to very low levels of
chemical warfare agent were mailed notification letters. That figure reflects the addition
of approximately 35,000 veterans who were not previously believed to be in the possible
exposure area in the earlier analysis. They were notified for the first time that they may
have been exposed to very low levels of chemical warfare agent. It also includes a
reduction of about 33,000 others who were thought to be in the exposure area in the
earlier analysis. They were notified that new evidence indicates that it is unlikely that
they were exposed.
- Current medical evidence indicates that long term health problems from these levels of
nerve agent are unlikely.
- All Gulf War veterans are eligible for a free, comprehensive medical evaluation. The
Department of Defense has established the Comprehensive Clinical Evaluation Program for
Gulf War veterans still on active duty, serving in the Reserves, or retired from military
service. Those veterans should call (800) 796-8631 to schedule an appointment. The
Department of Veterans Affairs has established a similar program for all other veterans.
Veterans should call (800) 749-8387 to schedule an evaluation in that program.
- More detailed information on Khamisiyah and other research projects of the Office of the
Special Assistant can be accessed on the Internet at GulfLINK.
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