14-year-old critically injured by unexploded ordnance in Dhi Qar

DHI QAR — A 14-year-old boy sustained serious injuries Sunday after an explosion caused by unexploded ordnance in the Al-Shakhara area of Al-Batha, a district west of Dhi Qar Governorate, according to local authorities.

The child was tending sheep when the cluster bomb detonated, causing severe injuries. “The boy was grazing livestock when the ordnance exploded, leaving him critically injured,” a security source told 964media.

Emergency responders rushed the boy to a nearby hospital, where he is receiving treatment for his injuries.

Iraq continues to grapple with the dangerous legacy of landmines and unexploded ordnance from the Iran-Iraq War, the Gulf War, the 2003 U.S.-led invasion, and the conflict with ISIS. These remnants of past conflicts continue to pose a serious threat to civilians across the country.

The region, like many parts of Iraq, remains heavily contaminated with unexploded ordnance, posing a continuous danger, especially to children in rural areas. On Aug. 26, 2024, a 17-year-old shepherd named Hawra suffered burns and shrapnel wounds in Muthanna Governorate after a landmine explosion.

In June, a landmine explosion in the Rumaila Desert west of Basra killed a shepherd and severely injured his sister. In mid-August, a deminer was killed during a mine-clearing operation near the Iranian border in Basra.

As of the end of 2022, nearly 35,000 people in Iraq had been affected by landmines, unexploded ordnance, and improvised explosive devices, according to the Landmine and Cluster Munition Monitor. The southern governorates, areas near the Iranian border, and the Kurdistan Region are among the hardest-hit regions.

On Aug. 21, the Ministry of Environment’s Directorate of Mine Affairs reported that more than 500 kilometers of land across Iraq remain contaminated with remnants from the ISIS era. Despite international assistance, clearing these areas remains a daunting task, highlighting the ongoing danger in regions like Muthanna.