Subject: DAMAGE ASSESSMENT OF ALLIED BOMBING  

Not Finally Evaluated Intelligence 

 

TO FACILITATE ELECTRONIC ACCESS, THIS DOCUMENT HAS BEEN 

REFORMATTED TO ELIMINATE INFORMATION THAT DOES NOT PERTAIN 

TO GULF WAR ILLNESS ISSUES OR THAT IS CLASSIFIED. A COPY OF 

THIS REDACTED DOCUMENT, IN ORIGINAL FORMAT, IS AVAILABLE ON 

REQUEST. 

 

 

                       JUN 91 INTEL 

 

COUNTRY: IRAQ 

SUBJ: REPORT ON DAMAGE ASSESSMENT OF ALLIED BOMBING ON THE 

IRAQI NUCLEAR WEAPONS DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM 

DOI:  1991 

 

SUMMARY: THIS REPORT PROVIDES INFORMATION ON DAMAGE 

INFLICTED TO THE IRAQI NUCLEAR WEAPONS DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM 

FROM ALLIED BOMBING DURING THE GULF WAR.  TWO OF ITS SEVEN 

OPERATIONAL AND RESEARCH FACILITIES WERE DAMAGED, RESULTING 

IN APPROXIMATELY 20 PERCENT OVERALL DAMAGE TO THE PROGRAM 

 

 

 

                                        DURING THE GULF WAR 

THE ALLIED FORCES BOMBING OF IRAQI FACILITIES INFLICTED A 

MAXIMUM OF 20 PERCENT DAMAGE ON THE IRAQI NUCLEAR WEAPONS 

DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM.  MOST OF THE DAMAGE OCCURRED IN TWO 

FACILITIES--THE HEADQUARTERS (HQ) OF THE IRAQI NUCLEAR 

WEAPONS PROGRAM, CALLED THE TUWAITHA OR AL-DIYALLA FACILITY, 

LOCATED ON THE SOUTHEASTERN EDGE OF BAGHDAD, AND THE AL-

SAFAA URANIUM ENRICHMENT FACTORY LOCATED NORTH OF BAGHDAD. 

 

                                ALLIED FORCES BOMBING 

       INFLICTED A GREAT AMOUNT OF DAMAGE ON TUWAITHA; 

HOWEVER, MOST OF THE FACILITIES DESTROYED BELONGED TO THE 

IRAQI NUCLEAR POWER COMMISSION OR WERE ADMINISTRATIVE 

FACILITIES.  SOME OF THE TUWAITHA FACILITIES DESTROYED AND 

DAMAGED DURING THE BOMBING  WERE: 

A. THE SO-CALLED       FACILITIES , WHICH WERE 

       COMPLETELY DESTROYED 

 

       HOUSED INPC RESEARCH FACILITIES. 

B. THE REACTOR BUILDING AND A SMALL TEST REACTOR,           

WHICH REMAINED FROM THE TIME THAT OSIRAK WAS BUILT 

                   BOTH WERE DESTROYED. 

C. ONE PRODUCTION UNIT WAS DAMAGED.  THIS UNIT PROCESSED 

SPENT NUCLEAR FUEL AND CONTAINED TWO HOT CELLS FOR THIS 

PURPOSE.  BOMBING OF THIS UNIT CAUSED SOME NUCLEAR 

CONTAMINATION.  BECAUSE OF THE CONTAMINATION, TUWAITHA WAS 

CLOSED FOR TWO DAYS AFTER THE BOMBING. 

 

D. THE NUCLEAR REACTOR BUILDING WAS DAMAGED. THE REACTOR 

INSIDE THE BUILDING WAS SHUT DOWN BEFORE THE GULF WAR.