Iraq clears 4,000 square kilometers of landmines, aims for full demining by 2028

BAGHDAD – Iraq’s Ministry of Environment announced that it has cleared 4,000 square kilometers of land contaminated with mines, with plans to achieve complete demining by 2028. Modern equipment and coordinated efforts by government agencies and organizations are expediting the process, according to ministry officials.

“In line with international agreements Iraq has joined, such as the Ottawa Treaty on anti-personnel mines and the Convention on Cluster Munitions, Iraq is set to complete mine clearance by 2028,” said Mustafa Hamid, spokesperson for the Ministry’s Mine Affairs Directorate, during an interview with state-run Al-Iraqiya.

Hamid noted that over 50% of the contaminated land identified in 2003—initially estimated at 6,000 square kilometers—has been cleared, leaving approximately 2,000 square kilometers still requiring demining.

Efforts exclude the Kurdistan Region, which operates separate mine removal programs under its General Directorate of Mine Affairs, part of the Kurdistan Regional Government Council of Ministers.

Iraq’s Directorate of Mine Affairs, under the Ministry of Environment, coordinates nationwide clearance efforts, employing advanced detection technologies utilized by the Ministries of Defense and Interior, humanitarian organizations, and private companies.

Landmines and unexploded ordnance are remnants of Iraq’s turbulent history, including the Iran-Iraq War, the Gulf War, the 2003 U.S.-led invasion, and conflicts with ISIS. These hazards continue to pose significant risks, with nearly 35,000 Iraqis killed or injured by landmines, unexploded ordnance, and improvised explosive devices by the end of 2022, according to the Landmine and Cluster Munition Monitor.

The most affected regions include southern governorates, areas near the Iranian border, and parts of the Kurdistan Region. The UN Mine Action Service estimates that dozens of Iraqis die each year from explosive remnants, while 8.5 million of Iraq’s 43 million population live under persistent threat.