Probe into camp Kalsu blast points to internal explosion

Shafaq News/ An Iraqi military investigation into the explosion that ripped through Camp Kalsu north of Babel on April 21st has concluded the incident resulted from an internal detonation, a military statement revealed on Tuesday.

A high-level technical committee, formed on the orders of the Commander-in-Chief, comprised specialists in missile technology, artillery, forensics, and explosives.

The statement said a team deployed to the site, examined the blast zone, and collecting soil samples and debris for forensic analysis.

The report said a vast, irregular crater marked the former ammunition and explosives storage area at the heart of the explosion. The crater's size suggests a detonation involving a significant amount of highly explosive material.

Investigators also recovered fragments of five rockets scattered 150 meters away, along with 22 rocket fins located within a 100-meter radius.

Air Defense Command reports confirmed no fighter jet or drone activity in Babel's airspace before, during, or after the incident.

The scale of the blast and the scattered projectiles, rockets, and explosives ruled out a missile attack, as per the report.

Forensic analysis of soil and metal fragments identified three explosive materials: TNT, ammonium nitrate, and dibutyl phthalate.

"The committee's detailed report was presented to and approved by the Commander-in-Chief on April 23rd, 2024," the report concluded.