Sharbazher landmine explosion kills teenage shepherd, investigation underway

SULAYMANIYAH — A landmine explosion in the Sharbazher area of Sulaymaniyah killed a 16-year-old shepherd on Sunday evening, local authorities reported.

“The landmine detonated near the Chami Yala area in the Zalal subdistrict, claiming the life of a shepherd from Chwarqurna district,” said Mohsin Karim, Director General of Mine Action in Sulaymaniyah, speaking to 964media.

Karim explained that the victim was herding livestock when the mine exploded. He added that further details remain preliminary, and it is unclear if the area was a known minefield or if the shepherd inadvertently triggered the device. A team from the Sulaymaniyah Mine Action Directorate is set to investigate the site.

The Kurdistan Region is heavily mine-contaminated due to decades of conflict, including the Iran-Iraq War and clashes with the former Baathist regime. Mines continue to pose a significant danger to local residents, especially in rural and remote areas.

Jabbar Mustafa, Director of the Kurdistan Region’s Mine Action Agency, told 964media earlier that 576 square kilometers of land have been cleared out of the 776 square kilometers initially identified as mined in the Kurdistan Region. However, 200 square kilometers remain contaminated. Mustafa noted that landmines have affected 13,580 individuals, with approximately 5,000 fatalities reported.

In 2023, the agency recorded 23 landmine incidents, resulting in 10 deaths and 13 injuries. Since the Kurdistan Regional Government’s establishment in 1991, a total of 13,500 people have been killed or injured by landmines in the region.