3 killed and 25 injured by landmines in first half of 2022: Kurdistan Region Mine Action Agency

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – The Kurdistan Region Mine Action Agency (MAA) has released the statistics on the number of landmines it has deactivated since the beginning of 2022 and the number of people killed and injured by landmines during that same period.

"The MAA has managed to remove 1,345 anti-personnel and seven anti-tank mines from the various provinces of the region since the beginning of 2022," Lezma Fouad, Director of Media and Public Relations at the Mine Action Agency, told Kurdistan 24.

"Three individuals died due to mine explosions during the first half of this year, and 25 were injured," she said.

According to Fouad, 17 of the injuries occurred in Sulaimani province, five in Erbil, and three in Duhok. Two deaths were recorded in Sulaimani and one in Duhok.

Fouad also pointed out that 441,067 square meters, amounting to 14 minefields, were cleared since the beginning of 2022. Furthermore, she explained that 85,533 flyers were handed out to the people living near minefields informing and warning them of the dangers of landmines.

Large parts of Iraqi territory still contain landmines and other explosive remnants from past wars. Each year, these devices kill and maim dozens of civilians.

Most of these mines were planted in the 1980s during the bloody eight-year Iran-Iraq War, especially along border areas to hinder the advance of Iranian troops.