Phosphorus Bombs & War Crimes

Phosphorus Bombs & War Crimes

Subject: Science & Tech

Context- Amid escalating tensions, a senior Ukrainian police officer has accused Russian forces of launching phosphorous bomb attacks in the eastern region of Lugansk.

Concept-

What is a phosphorus bomb?

• Phosphorus is a chemical that ignites when exposed to air, burning above 800 degrees Celsius.
• Similar to the napalm used in the Vietnam War, white phosphorus self-oxidizes.
• When white phosphorus comes in contact with human skin, it can cause both thermal and chemical burns.
• It is almost impossible to put out once it touches the skin, leading to extreme injuries and sometimes death.
• It can produce several chemicals when it comes in contact with the skin, such as phosphorus pentoxide.
• Phosphorus pentoxide reacts with water in the skin and produces phosphoric acid that is highly corrosive.
• The burn injuries caused by white phosphorus can damage underlying tissues that delay the healing process.
• White phosphorus can be systematically absorbed by the body and cause damage to the internal organs.
• The particles of white phosphorus may remain in the wound and reignite when in contact with the air.

What law says about the use of phosphorus bombs?

• International law prohibits use of white phosphorus shells in heavily populated areas but allows in open spaces to be used as cover for troops.
• The bombing of a civilian city with phosphorus bombs is a war crime and a crime against humanity, according to the Rome Convention.
• Additional Protocols to the 1977 Geneva Convention prohibited the use of white phosphorus munitions if they pose a threat to civilians.
• Phosphorus bombs can be used on battlefields to make smoke screens, generate illumination, mark targets or burn bunkers and buildings.
• If phosphorus munitions are used against people, they are then classed as a chemical weapon which is prohibited under Chemical weapons Convention 1997.
• White phosphorus has not been categorised as an incendiary or chemical weapon by international agencies but United Nation considers it so.

**** For further reading refer to Optimize IAS https://optimizeias.com/what-constitutes-a-war-crime/ & https://optimizeias.com/geneva-convention/.