Iraqis at risk from 25 million unexploded landmines

US soldier uses landmine detection tool in Iraq Ten years on from the American-led invasion of Iraq, its population is still at risk from 16 million unexploded cluster bombs and 25 million landmines, the country’s Ministry of Environment has said .
The country spends huge sums every year to remove the dangerous explosives, and a survey identifying the locations of all the unexploded devices is still desperately needed, according to the ministry.
Director of Landmine Affairs at the ministry, Issa el-Fayed, told Arab Today that the allied forces that invaded Iraq in 2003 launched 50 million cluster bombs against Iraqi military units, 16 million of which still post a threat to civilians. They are concentrated in areas that were occupied by the foreign military forces.
A further 25 million landmines remain along the border with Iran, Fayed added, saying his ministry allocates an annual 15 billion dinars ($12.8 million) to tackle the problem of the leftover explosives. This is in addition to huge sums spent by other departments and local authorities to deal with the problem, he said.
The Iraqi government, which has ratified international agreements to ban landmines and cluster bombs, works to remove the explosives through its Ministry of Environment, Ministry of Defence and Ministry of Interior.