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UK forces use cluster bombs (BBC World
Service)
British forces say cluster bombs have been used in the Iraq conflict but not in built up areas in and around Basra. This
conflicts directly with evidence produced by several independent sources, not
least the respected war correspondent Robert Fisk, over the past number of
days. Fisk, reporting from Iraq for the Independent newspaper in London
has confirmed dozens of deaths and has collected 'bomblet' fragments as evidence to
back his reports.
Military commanders insisted the highly controversial munitions have not been fired near Iraq's second city after reports British gunners in southern Iraq had used them.
BBC correspondent Hilary Andersson, with UK troops in southern Iraq, was told L20 cluster munitions had been used against Iraqi forces.
Defence Secretary Geoff Hoon confirmed the use of cluster bombs by British forces, in the Commons on
Thursday.
He accepted the weapons could cause casualties - which he said he regretted, but said the bombs were a consequence of conflict.
They were sometimes the most suitable weapon for dealing with wide area targets, and without their use on "appropriate occasions", the military would be putting the lives of British and coalition forces at greater risk, he said.
He told MPs attempts were made to minimise the risk if at all possible.
Earlier British military spokesman Colonel Chris Vernon, in Kuwait, told reporters: "We are not using cluster munitions, for obvious collateral damage
reasons."
But a Ministry of Defence spokesman said: "We have used them elsewhere."
He said they were an effective weapon of warfare, for example to target a convoy of military vehicles, but were only used in the open far from built up areas.
Cluster bombs have also been used by US B-52 bombers on air assaults on Iraqi units defending Baghdad.
The detonation of such bombs is controversial because of the risk of civilians being injured in attacks or from unexploded bombs.
British charity Landmine Action has condemned their use.
Its director Richard Lloyd said: "As we know from Afghanistan, Kosovo and the last Gulf war, these weapons cannot be used in a way that discriminates between civilian and military targets."
This is the first time the UK and US military have confirmed their use in this conflict.
Col Vernon said: "We fully reserve the right - it's a legitimate munition - to use (them) against Iraqi regular forces, where appropriate."
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