47-year-old identified
Deminer killed during operation on Iranian border in Basra
BASRA — A tragic incident claimed the life of a deminer in Basra on Tuesday, according to local police reports. The accident occurred during a demining operation in the Zariji area along the Iranian border, when a mine unexpectedly detonated.
The victim, identified as 47-year-old Raad Rahima Ashour from the Al-Medina district, north of Basra, was a member of the Arabian Gulf Mine Clearance Company. His death underscores the perilous nature of mine clearance in one of the world’s most heavily contaminated regions.
Iraq remains one of the most mine-afflicted countries globally, a legacy of multiple conflicts including the Iran-Iraq War, the Gulf War of 1990-1991, the 2003 U.S.-led invasion, and subsequent battles against ISIS. These conflicts have scattered vast quantities of landmines and other explosive remnants across the country, posing persistent dangers to civilians.
As of the end of 2022, nearly 35,000 casualties from landmines, unexploded ordnance, and improvised explosive devices have been reported in Iraq, according to the Landmine and Cluster Munition Monitor. The southern governorates, areas near the Iranian border, and the Kurdistan Region are among the most affected.
Despite ongoing efforts by local authorities and international organizations to clear these mines, the vast scale of contamination coupled with security challenges and limited funding continues to complicate demining operations.
Iraqi ministries to assist with demining in Kurdistan
