Landmine explosion in Rumaila kills two, injures four from same family

BASRA — A landmine explosion in the Rumaila area, north of the Zubair district in Basra, killed a young man and his sister and injured four other family members, a security source said on Saturday.

The explosion occurred while the family was on an outing in the area. The injured were taken to the hospital for treatment, the source told 964media.

“We call on the relevant authorities and local governments to take additional measures to raise awareness about the dangers of landmines and to clear these areas of such remnants,” the source said.

Iraq remains heavily afflicted by landmines—a legacy of the Iran-Iraq War, the Gulf War, the 2003 U.S.-led invasion, and conflicts with ISIS—that have left a perilous landscape scattered with explosive remnants and continue to threaten civilian safety.

As of the end of 2022, nearly 35,000 people in Iraq had suffered casualties from 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 notably affected.