Minefields cleared in Penjwen village, returned to residents

PENJWEN — Two minefields in Kezhan village of Penjwen district, Sulaymaniyah, have been cleared and handed back to their owners, the Penjwen Demining Team said Tuesday.

Team head Mohammed Ibrahim told 964media that the areas are now safe for use after more than 700 landmines and remnants of war were collected and destroyed during the operation.

Over the past month, demining teams in Penjwen have conducted three clearance efforts, removing nearly 1,000 mines and other explosive remnants of war.

Large parts of the Kurdistan Region remain contaminated by mines and unexploded ordnance left from the Iran-Iraq War and military campaigns under Iraq’s former Baathist regime. Rural communities in mountainous border areas face the highest risks, with Penjwen among the most affected.

According to official data, landmine explosions caused 11 casualties in the Kurdistan Region in 2024, including four deaths and seven cases of injury or amputation. In 2023, 23 incidents were recorded, resulting in 10 fatalities and 13 injuries.