Iraq: Doctors blame high levels of birth defects in Fallajuh on US weapons

Doctors and parents in the iraqi city of Fallujah are blaming a sharp increase in the number of chronic deformities among babies born in their city on the highly sophisticated weapons used by American troops during the 2004 brutal invasion.

The appalling rise in birth defects has crystallised over recent months as specialists working in Falluja’s over-stretched health system have started compiling detailed clinical records of all babies born.

Neurologists and obstetricians in the city interviewed by the Guardian say the rise in birth defects – which include a baby born with two heads, babies with multiple tumours, and others with nervous system problems – are unprecedented.

The level of heart defects among newborn babies in Fallujah is said to be 13 times higher than in Europe. Doctors claim the cause is toxic material from US weapons.

Paediatrician Samira al-Ani, who works in a US-funded hospital in Fallujah, told a BBC correspondent that she was seeing as many as two or three cases a day, mainly cardiac defects.

The BBC world correspondent, John Simpson, also saw children in the city who were suffering from paralysis or brain damage – and a photograph of one baby who was born with three heads.

Women in Fallujah were warned by officials not to have children. There are concerns the high rate of defects in newborn babies is due to weapons used by US forces during heavy fighting six years ago.

Forces used white phosphorus shells and there has been speculation that controversial depleted uranium rounds were also fired.

Iraqi-born researcher Malik Hamdan told the BBC’s World Today programme that doctors in Fallujah were witnessing a “massive unprecedented number” of heart defects, and an increase in the number of nervous system defects.

She added that one doctor in the city had compared data about birth defects from before 2003 – when she saw about one case every two months – with the situation now, when she sees cases every day.

Based on data from January this year, the rate of congenital heart defects was 95 per 1,000 births.

“I’ve seen footage of babies born with an eye in the middle of the forehead, the nose on the forehead,” she added.

The BBC also reports that spokesman for the US military, Michael Kilpatrick, said it always took public health concerns “very seriously”.

“No studies to date have indicated environmental issues resulting in specific health issues,” he said.

“Unexploded ordinance, including improvised explosive devices, are a recognised hazard,” he added.

The House of Commons leader, Harriet Harman, said that there would be an opportunity to raise the issue in a defence debate next week.