US confirms it will destroy contraceptives previously designated as aid

International reproductive rights groups slam the Trump administration’s decision as ‘cruel and ideologically driven’.

Washington, DC – The United States has confirmed reports that it will destroy reproductive health supplies previously designated as assistance, sparking fury from advocates and aid groups.

The US Department of State said on Friday that the decision stems from US regulations that restrict aid to groups that perform or promote abortions.

“Only a limited number of commodities have been approved for disposal. No HIV medications or condoms are being destroyed,” a State Department spokesperson told Al Jazeera in a statement.

Reproductive health advocates decried the US decision on Friday, saying that Washington is incinerating “life-saving contraceptives” rather than handing them to aid groups to distribute them in poorer countries.