Iraq is searching for potentially deadly radioactive material that was stolen late last year, officials said.
The material was contained in an industrial radiography device that vanished in November, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) told NBC News on Wednesday. Its disappearance has raised fears the material could fall into the hands of ISIS fighters who control parts of the country.
An Iraqi environment ministry document seen by NBC News also confirmed the reported theft from a storage facility linked to Weatherford, a U.S. oilfield services company.
The IAEA said the missing "Ir-192 radioactive source in a shielding container" was classified as a Category 2 radioactive substance that, if not managed properly, could be fatal to someone exposed for a period of hours to days.
The State Department said it was aware of the reports and was monitoring the situation. However, spokesman Mark Toner said it had "not seen any indication that the material in question is being acquired by [ISIS] or any other terrorist group in the region." Cont.
Story from - NBC News
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