Demining teams clear 34 mines in Choman and Koya districts

ERBIL — Demining teams have destroyed 34 anti-personnel mines in two separate operations in Choman and Koya districts, Erbil Governorate, the Kurdistan Regional Government’s Mine Action Agency announced.

According to the agency, mines were cleared in the Krukazard field in the Similan subdistrict of Choman, and in Gomashin  village in the Degala subdistrict of Koya.

The statement said the mines were safely dismantled and destroyed by specialized clearance teams.

The Kurdistan Region remains heavily affected by landmines, a legacy of decades of conflict, including the Iran-Iraq War, fighting under the Baathist regime, and later instability. Mines and unexploded ordnance continue to endanger rural communities, threatening both lives and livelihoods.

Official figures show landmine explosions caused 11 casualties in the Kurdistan Region in 2024, including four deaths and seven injuries or amputations. In 2023, there were 23 incidents, resulting in 10 fatalities and 13 injuries.

In August, a 19-year-old man was killed when he stepped on a landmine in the mountainous area near Nawanda village in Choman district, part of Erbil’s Soran Autonomous Administration.

Earlier this month, two separate teams from the Duhok Mine Directorate carried out mine-related activities in Shiladze subdistrict, a popular tourist destination that draws large numbers of visitors daily.