Mosul's Right Bank still haunted by war remnants, fears of mines and explosives persist
Residents are fearful of returning to their homes, while authorities grapple with the daunting task of clearing vast swathes of land still contaminated by war remnants.
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) - The right bank of Mosul continues to bear the scars of the ISIS conflict, with numerous houses still in ruins and concerns about the presence of hidden mines and explosives.
Residents are fearful of returning to their homes, while authorities grapple with the daunting task of clearing vast swathes of land still contaminated by war remnants.
Mohammed Ayad, a victim of the ISIS war, shared his concerns with Kurdistan24, stating, "People are still afraid to return to their places because of the remnants of war and explosives. Many people have been killed."
The Directorate for Mine Action within the Iraqi Ministry of Environment is working to document the number of casualties caused by these hazards.
Mustafa Hamid Majeed, spokesperson for the directorate, explained, "Our teams are conducting a field investigation into the number of victims. When the process is complete, we will announce the results, as we do every year."
The International Committee of the Red Cross and the Directorate of Mine Action have highlighted the magnitude of the problem, stating that "more than 2,500 square kilometers of land in Iraq and about 68 kilometers of Mosul have not been cleared of landmines, killing more than 25,000 people."
These statistics underscore the urgent need for continued efforts to remove the remnants of war from Mosul and ensure the safety of its residents.
Further reporting was done by Kurdistan24 correspondent Derman Baadri
