Shafaq News/ On Wednesday, the General Directorate for MineAffairs in Duhok province announced the removal and detonation of over 500landmines.
The Directorate's Media Official, Reger Besfki, told ShafaqNews that a mine and ordnance removal team successfully conducted an operationin the Kawashi village of the Simele (Sumail) district, clearing and detonating530 explosive devices.
Besfki further explained, “These mines and ordnance werecollected from various areas across Duhok province by the Directorate’s teams,”noting that the devices included artillery shells, mortar rounds, RPG missiles,anti-personnel mines, and anti-tank and military vehicle mines.
the mines and explosives were planted more than 60 years agoby the Iraqi army as well as the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), he clarified.
These explosives continue to pose a persistent threat tocivilians across large parts of Duhok province, necessitating ongoing effortsto ensure the safety of local communities.
The National Mine Action Strategic Plan for 2022-2028,supported by international partners such as the Geneva International Centre forHumanitarian Demining (GICHD) and the United Nations Mine Action Service(UNMAS), underpins Iraq's clearance obligations. This integrated strategyrepresents a pivotal step forward, aligning the efforts of the Directorate ofMine Action (DMA) and IKMAA.
Iraq's landmine contamination stems from historicalconflicts, notably the 1980-1988 war with Iran, the 1991 Gulf War, and the 2003invasion led by a US-led coalition. The presence of improvised explosivedevices (IEDs) by groups like the Islamic State further exacerbates theproblem, causing thousands of casualties and disabilities.