Mine action team recovers over 700 unexploded munitions in Duhok’s Akre
DUHOK — A team from the Kurdistan General Directorate of Mine Action recovered more than 700 pieces of unexploded ordnance in the Akre area of Duhok and transferred them to a secured location, the agency said.
The operation followed a report from a Peshmerga unit that had identified the munitions. Mine action personnel were dispatched to the site and collected artillery shells, mortar rounds, rocket-propelled grenade munitions and other explosive remnants.
Authorities urged residents not to touch or move any suspicious or explosive materials they encounter and to immediately notify mine action teams.
The Kurdistan Region remains heavily contaminated by landmines and unexploded ordnance after decades of conflict, including the Iran–Iraq War, fighting under the Baathist regime and later instability. Mines and other remnants continue to endanger rural communities and threaten 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.
