"Unusually high rates of birth deformity in an Iraqi city at the centre of the biggest battle of the allied occupation may be due to war contamination, a new study has concluded."
By Richard Spencer, Middle East Correspondent
31 Dec 2010
THE TELEGRAPH (U.K.)
At: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/middleeast/iraq/8234159/War-contamination-could-be-causing-deformities-in-Iraq.html
The city of Fallujah, west of Baghdad, has had a notoriously high rate of birth defects and cancer diagnoses since American, British and Iraqi troops bombarded and then stormed the town during the Sunni insurgency in 2004.
In May of 2010 alone, 15 per cent of the 547 babies born had defects, while 14 per cent were spontaneous abortions and 11 per cent were born at less than 30 weeks.
The report, published online on Friday in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, outlines the cases of four families out of more than 50 being studied. All had children with defects which could not be accounted for by historic family causes but which could be explained by high levels of toxic metals in the environment.
In one family, three women – the two wives of one of the fathers and a daughter – all gave birth to children with different deformities.
"The high prevalence of birth defects in Fallujah is impairing the population's health and its capacity to care for the surviving children," the study said. "These defects could be due to environmental contaminants which are known components of modern weaponry."
The research and a forthcoming report by the World Health Organisation on the same issue will renew international attention on the siege of Fallujah, condemned by anti-war activists and human rights campaigners as an excessive response to insurgent activity. Thousands of alleged insurgents and civilians are said to have been killed. White phosphorous and depleted uranium shells are known to have been used in large numbers.
"It is unclear whether its radiation-derived mutational effects or its chemical toxic effects are more relevant," the report notes.
Total deformities are said to be around 11 times the world average, and are rising. The report, the first carried out on births during 2010, said they were now at "unprecedented levels", suggesting that the longer adults are exposed to the residual contamination the more defective children will be born.
It says there is no definitive proof of which environmental hazards actually caused the deformities, and calls for more research in this area to identify families at high risk and begin the task of providing them with the necessary medical care.
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At: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/middleeast/iraq/8234159/War-contamination-could-be-causing-deformities-in-Iraq.html
The city of Fallujah, west of Baghdad, has had a notoriously high rate of birth defects and cancer diagnoses since American, British and Iraqi troops bombarded and then stormed the town during the Sunni insurgency in 2004.
In May of 2010 alone, 15 per cent of the 547 babies born had defects, while 14 per cent were spontaneous abortions and 11 per cent were born at less than 30 weeks.
The report, published online on Friday in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, outlines the cases of four families out of more than 50 being studied. All had children with defects which could not be accounted for by historic family causes but which could be explained by high levels of toxic metals in the environment.
In one family, three women – the two wives of one of the fathers and a daughter – all gave birth to children with different deformities.
"The high prevalence of birth defects in Fallujah is impairing the population's health and its capacity to care for the surviving children," the study said. "These defects could be due to environmental contaminants which are known components of modern weaponry."
The research and a forthcoming report by the World Health Organisation on the same issue will renew international attention on the siege of Fallujah, condemned by anti-war activists and human rights campaigners as an excessive response to insurgent activity. Thousands of alleged insurgents and civilians are said to have been killed. White phosphorous and depleted uranium shells are known to have been used in large numbers.
Depleted uranium in particular has been linked to high rates of cancer and birth defects.
"It is unclear whether its radiation-derived mutational effects or its chemical toxic effects are more relevant," the report notes.
Total deformities are said to be around 11 times the world average, and are rising. The report, the first carried out on births during 2010, said they were now at "unprecedented levels", suggesting that the longer adults are exposed to the residual contamination the more defective children will be born.
It says there is no definitive proof of which environmental hazards actually caused the deformities, and calls for more research in this area to identify families at high risk and begin the task of providing them with the necessary medical care.
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Additional news coverage:
"Iraq Study Links U.S. Weaponry to Birth Defects in Falluja, Guardian Says"
By Alan Purkiss
BLOOMBERG NEWS
Dec 31, 2010
At: http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2010-12-31/iraq-study-links-u-s-weaponry-to-birth-defects-in-falluja-guardian-says.html
An abnormally high incidence of birth defects in Falluja, Iraq, way have been caused by weaponry used when U.S. forces assaulted the city six years ago, the Guardian reported, citing a study it’s reviewed.
The study, to be published next week in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, was conducted by Dr. Samira Abdul Ghani, a pediatrician at Falluja general hospital, the newspaper said.
It covered 55 families with seriously deformed new-born babies between May and August; in May, of the 547 babies born, 15 percent had chronic deformities, the Guardian said. In the same period, 11 percent of babies were born at less than 30 weeks and 14 percent of fetuses spontaneously aborted, it added.
While the findings are likely to reinforce previous speculation that defects have been caused by depleted uranium ammunition, used in two battles in Falluja in 2004, the report acknowledges that many war residues may interfere with normal embryonic and fetal development, the Guardian said.
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"Link Between Defects, Weaponry Possible?"
Friday, December 31, 2010
St. Louis Globe-Democrat (Missouri, U.S.A.)
From UPI news service
At: http://www.globe-democrat.com/news/2010/dec/31/link-between-defects-weaponry-possible/
FALLUJAH, Iraq, Dec. 31 (UPI) -- A rise in birth defects in the Iraqi city of Falluja could have been caused by weaponry used in U.S. assaults that took place six years ago, a report says.
The report, to be published next week in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, highlights a major rise in cancers and chronic neurological, cardiac and skeletal defects in newborns at close to 11 times higher than normal rates, The Guardian newspaper in London reported Friday.
The report focused on metals as potential contaminating agents afflicting the city, especially among pregnant mothers.
"Metals are involved in regulating genome stability," it says. "As environmental effectors, metals are potentially good candidates to cause birth defects."
There is speculation the defects are caused by depleted uranium rounds, heavily used in two large battles in the city in April and November 2004. Many military and militia forces use the rounds, containing ionising radiation.
However, scientists are split on the possible danger posed by the rounds, with some claiming they leave behind a toxic residue, while others say depleted uranium has been proven not to be a contaminant.
Other battlefield residues may also be responsible for the jump in defects, the report acknowledges.
"Many known war contaminants have the potential to interfere with normal embryonic and fetal development," it says.
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"US weapons suspected in Iraq birth defect cases"
by Martin Chulov, Baghdad
THE GUARDIAN (U.K.)
Published in THE AGE (Australia), at:
http://www.theage.com.au/world/us-weapons-suspected-in-iraq-birth-defect-cases-20101231-19byd.html?from=smh_ft
January 1, 2011
A STUDY examining the causes of a dramatic spike in birth defects in the Iraqi city of Fallujah has concluded that genetic damage could have been caused by weaponry used in US assaults six years ago....
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"Birth defects in Falluja could be linked to US weapons"
by Martin Chulov
THE GUARDIAN (U.K.)
Published in the BRISBANE TIMES (Australia)
January 1, 2011
At: http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/world/birth-defects-in-falluja-could-be-linked-to-us-weapons-20101231-19bz6.html?from=age_ft
BAGHDAD: A study examining the causes of a dramatic rise in birth defects in the Iraqi city of Falluja has for the first time concluded that genetic damage could have been caused by weaponry used in US assaults that took place six years ago...
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