UNMAS, UNICEF call for an Iraq clear of explosives

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - The United Nations Mine Action Service (UNMAS) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) on Monday released a joint statement calling for action to be taken towards an Iraq free of mines and explosive ordnance, coinciding with International Mine Awareness Day. 

UNMAS and UNICEF stated that over 519 children have been killed or injured in Iraq over the last five years from explosive ordnance, adding that landmines and explosive remnants of war (ERW) remain one of the leading threats to children in the country.

Though Iraq no longer suffers from active warfare, with the exception of the Islamic State (ISIS) insurgency, safety and stability in the country continue to be undermined by ERWs. The statement added that children are especially vulnerable to the threat because they are “attracted to their colorful appearance” and are not aware of the dangers they possess.

UNICEF and UNMAS called on the Iraqi government and the donor community to take action towards ensuring safety for children and for raising awareness on the matter. Both organizations have been providing training for medical teams and “psychosocial support when needed.”

Last month, UNICEF labeled February as “one of the most dangerous months” for Iraqi children in recent times, reporting six deaths and 10 injuries due to ERWs.  UNICEF added that ERWs and improvised explosive devices (IEDs) remain one of the leading causes of killing and injury of children in the country, urging stakeholders to take rapid action to clear existing mines and unexploded ordnance in the country.

A large number of the ERWs and landmines are the result of the fight against ISIS, while most of those found in the Kurdistan Region date back to more than three decades ago, during the Iran-Iraq War from 1980 to 1988. Around 13,400 mine explosion victims have been recorded since the 1990s, according to the KRG’s Mine Action Agency.