IKMAA Continues Destruction of Mines and Explosives Across the Region

The Iraqi Kurdistan Mine Action Agency (IKMAA) continues the destruction of hundreds of mines, explosives, and unexploded ordnance on a daily basis across the Kurdistan Region.

Jabbar Mustafa Rasul, Director of IKMAA, emphasised that the Demining team and Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) teams work regularly to defuse and destroy mines, explosives, and war remnants to reduce and eliminate threats to civilians.

The Demining teams are working frequently to clear contaminated minefields while EOD Teams try to locate and manage mines, explosives and war remnants, transporting them to secure warehouses where they are safely destroyed.

In the past few days, IKMAA has cleared mines and war remnants in the following areas:

- Erbil Governorate: following a notification from the public, the EOD teams in Erbil identified several explosive remnants which were posing danger to the public near Shawrawi River in Diyana District. During this operation, four explosive remnants were neutralised and transported to the IKMAA warehouse in Erbil. Additionally, the EOD teams destroyed more than 67 mines and 9 explosive remnants in minefields near Maren in Haji Omran District and Garwi Koopa in Ruandz District.

- Slemani Governorate: The EOD team in Slemani destroyed more than 341 landmines and remnants of war in Sotkay Village near Sarchnar. Furthermore, they defused six unexploded ordnance near Banale Village in Mawat.

- Duhok Governorate: IKMAA teams managed to defuse five landmines and many war remnants that posed a threat to the public in Zakho District.

- Garmian Autonomous Administration: IKMAA safely destroyed an unexploded artillery bomb (150 mm calibre) and several mines (VS 50 and Valmara) near Poqa Village in Pebaz District. Residents in the area were advised to stay away from the explosives until all mines are cleared by IKMAA.

IKMAA noted that the public are required to call the IKMAA Hotline (182) for free to report mines and explosives.