LAOS-KAMPUCHEA: COMMUNIST USE OF CHEMICAL WARFARE

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: FOIA Collection
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 06157965
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 3
• Document Creation Date: December 28, 2022
• Document Release Date: September 26, 2017
• Case Number: F-2012-01432
• Publication Date: August 31, 1981

Approved for Release: 2015/01/05 006157965
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Director of
Central
Intelligence
,tional Intelligence Daily
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Co NW 81-203JX
II August 1981
Copy 237
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Contents
Laos-Kampuchea: Communist Use of Chemical Warfare . . 1
31 August 1981
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LAOS-KAMPUCHEA: Coninunist Use of Chemical Warfare
The reports of the past several years of deaths
caused by a yellow powder dropped on villages in Laos,
and to a lesser extent in Kampuchea, were confirmed by /
detailed medical histories, evaluation of field autopsies,
examination of refugees at the Thai border who had re-/
ceived sublethal doses, and laboratory tests on sample's
sent to the US. There have been reports of similar
attacks in Afghanistan.
The agents being used probably are mycotoxins--
highly lethal chemicals that are produced by molds ane
other fungi. The toxins, when inhaled or applied to the
skin, disrupt the membranes of the digestive tract,
causing massive bleeding axdi1eathrom shock in as li tre�
es 15 minutes to an hour.
The toxic agents evidently are supplied by the
Soviets and dropped from Soviet aircraft. The Soviets
have been investigating these types of chemicals for
many years in several restricted microbiological insti-
tutes.
There are indications that the use of these lethal
agents is experimen 1. The several chemicals
tls..2,0 are ut &tgether in a variety of concentrations
and dispersed in various patterns. In one instance,
Lao soldiers wearing protective masks er_...e.,,Led a strike
area immediately after an attack and j d survivors
witha solution apparently being teste ' as an antidote.
A commission of four UN physicians will visit
Thailand this fall to collect evidence for the UN investi-
gation that is under way on the use of lethal chemicals
in Laos and Kampuchea.
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31 August August 1981
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Approved for Release: 2015/01/05 006157965