Security

Tragic Loss in Erbil as KRG Border Guards Lose Lives Defusing Relics of Iran-Iraq War

According to reports received to Kurdistan24, The initial casualties, however, rose to three killed and one injured after one of the wounded guards died of severe injuries, the other wounded guard is under intensive care and is in critical condition.

Kurdistan 24 2024/03/10 13:04

In this picture taken on Sunday, July 24, 2011, an anti-personnel mine can be seen. (Photo: AP)

Kurdistan Border Guards Landmines Casualties of landmine explosions 1980-88 Iran-Iraq War mines

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – On Sunday, the Command of the Border Guard Forces Area One in a press conference announced that two members of the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) border guard forces were killed instantly, and two other injured while defusing landmines.

According to reports received to Kurdistan24, The initial casualties, however, rose to three killed and one injured after one of the wounded guards died of severe injuries. The other wounded guard is under intensive care and is in critical condition.

The landmines exploded inside the headquarters of the Command of the Border Guard Forces Area One in Erbil. The landmines were collected from the minefields in surrounding areas of Erbil province.

Following clearing the fields, the landmines were brought back to the headquarters of the command for diffusal and destruction.

Moreover, many landmines in the Kurdistan Region are located near the Iranian border. These landmines are a relic of the 1980-88 Iran-Iraq War, as the Iraqi Army heavily mined Kurdish areas to prevent Kurdish rebels from collaborating with Iran. Approximately half of those landmines still remain 35 years after the conclusion of the war.

With landmines populating 650 million square meters of land, Iraq has the most landmines of any country in the world, according to the Landmine Monitor. Of the 650 million square meters, nearly half (314 million) are in the Kurdistan Region.