Random Article Summary #29

Muthana State Establishment, also known as Muthanna, was Iraq's main facility for chemical weapons research, development, and production. The facility was located in Saladin Governorate, southwest of Samarra and northwest of Baghdad. It covered an area of 100 km² and had three main production areas. From 1983 to 1991, Muthana produced large amounts of chemical warfare agents, including mustard gas, sarin, tabun, and VX. The facility was heavily bombed during the Gulf War and subsequently used by the UNSCOM Chemical Destruction Group to destroy remaining chemical weapons. Muthana was also involved in the early stages of Iraq's biological weapons program. The Muthana State Establishment was established in the early 1980s as a pesticide production plant. German companies played a role in assisting Iraq with the construction of the facility and provided them with precursors for chemical weapons. This support allowed Iraq to produce large quantities of mustard gas and tabun throughout the decade. Between 1981 and 1991, the Muthana establishment produced a large amount of chemical weapons agents, some of which were used in attacks against Iranian forces and Kurdish civilians. Mustard production at the Muthana State Establishment started at 10 tons in 1981 and increased steadily until reaching 350 tons in 1985. By 1987, Iraq was producing almost 900 tons of mustard agents, and in 1988, the production reached 500 tons. The Muthana facility produced a significant amount of tabun, a deadly nerve agent, between 1984 and 1986, ranging from 60 to 80 tons per year.