British army scales back firing white phosphorus in Kenya

British soldiers paused firing white phosphorus in Kenya after Declassified revealed the highly controversial munition was routinely being used there, Kenyan politicians have learned.

The policy change was disclosed in a witness statement the British army gave in late October to a Kenyan parliamentary inquiry into its activities in the east African former colony.

Kenyan politicians launched the inquiry based in part on our reporting, which found that the chemical substance had been fired on 15 occasions between 2017 and 2022

British troops had fired the munitions around Archer’s Post, a vast area of communal land in Kenya where Samburu nomads graze cattle.

The army’s witness statement said: “Munitions that contain phosphorus have not been used by the British Army in Kenya since 2022.”

However, it is understood that British troops could resume firing white phosphorus in the country at any time, as the licence remains in place.

White phosphorus can cause horrific burns to human skin and multiple organ failure. Britain has criticised Russia for allegedly firing it in Ukraine.

Its deliberate use against civilians is banned internationally but armies are allowed to use it for creating smokescreens or lighting up the battlefield.

Kenyan lawyer Kelvin Kubai commented: “This is a win for the environment and environmental justice.

“We hope the British army makes further assurances it has discontinued using white phosphorus, which should never have been used on community range lands in the first instance.”

Declassified understands that the British army’s current focus in Kenya is on training with high explosive ammunition at every available opportunity.

This is thought to be due to conflicts like Ukraine, which are characterised by artillery battles and trench warfare.

Training with high explosive mortars has not been without risks in Kenya, where hundreds of civilians have received compensation since 2002 for injuries sustained from unexploded ordnance left behind by British troops.

A UK army general recently praised the “unrivalled permissions” British forces have to train in Kenya, which was under British colonial rule until 1963.

Practicing with white phosphorus is still understood to be important to the British army, but England’s Salisbury Plain is being used instead of Kenya.

The Ministry of Defence was asked to comment.