Decades-old mines removed in Soran’s Diana sub-district

SORAN — A team from the Kurdistan Regional Government’s Mine Action Agency cleared a number of landmines and remnants of war in a village in Soran Administration’s Diana sub-district on Monday.

According to a statement released by the agency, the team removed 23 explosive devices, including mines and unexploded ordnance, from the Gozar Mountain area the village of Majidawa, dating back to the Iran-Iraq War.

The Kurdistan Region continues to face significant landmine contamination, a remnant of decades of conflict, including the Iran-Iraq War, battles with the former Baathist regime, and subsequent regional instability. These landmines and unexploded ordnance remain a constant danger to the safety and livelihoods of residents, particularly in rural and remote areas.

The operations to clear such explosives continue across various areas where remnants of war are discovered. Seven land plots in the Mergasor district, within the Soran Administration, were officially returned to their owners on Friday after being cleared of landmines.

Last week, five mine-contaminated land parcels in Chwarta town, Sulaymaniyah, were cleared and officially handed over to farmers. The demining efforts have enabled local farmers to safely cultivate their land after years of waiting.

Jabbar Mustafa, Director of the Kurdistan Regional Government’s Mine Action Agency, previously told 964media that of the 776 square kilometers of land initially classified as mine-contaminated in the Kurdistan Region, 576 square kilometers have been cleared, leaving 200 square kilometers still hazardous. Mustafa reported that landmines have impacted 13,580 individuals, with approximately 5,000 fatalities.

In 2023, 23 landmine-related incidents were recorded, resulting in 10 deaths and 13 injuries.