108,413 meters square of land cleared of mines in Kurdistan Region: KRG

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – The General Directorate of Technical Affairs at the Mine Action Agency stated on Tuesday that 108,413 meters square of land has been cleared of mines in November across the Kurdistan Region, the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG)’s Department of Media and Information said in a press release.

This includes the clearing of 40.697 m2 in Erbil, 26.345 m2 in Sulaimani, 31.332 m2 in Duhok, and 10.039 m2 in Garmiyan independent administration of mines.

Moreover, seven minefields were cleared in November 2022, including four fields in Erbil, two fields in Sulaimani, and one field in Garmiyan.

The KRG also said the Mines Advisory Group (MAG) cleared four fields in November.

Iraq, including the Kurdistan Region, is among the countries with the highest numbers of mines and explosive remnants of conflict scattered throughout its territory. 

Each year, dozens of citizens are killed and injured from mines. 

Read More: 5 brothers on mission to educate rural communities about threat of landmines in Kurdistan Region

Most of these mines were planted during the Iran-Iraq War in the 1980s. However, the ISIS terrorist group also planted mines in areas it occupied after 2014.

In November, two people were injured by mines in Erbil, and one in the Duhok province, the  Mine Agency said.

A civilian in the Kurdistan Region’s Erbil province in April was severely injured when a landmine detonated as he was clearing weeds.

Read More: Civilian ‘seriously injured’ by landmine in Erbil province 

The KRG’s Mine Action Agency aims to minimize the impact of mines, explosives and other remnants of war on Kurdistan citizens.