Shepherds injured in war remnant explosion near Kirkuk

Shafaq News/ Two shepherds were injured in an explosion of a war remnant while herding south of Kirkuk, according to a medical source.

The source told Shafaq News Agency on condition of anonymity, that "a war remnant exploded this evening on the outskirts of Qasbah al-Bashir, within Taza Khurmatu district (30 kilometers south of Kirkuk), resulting in the injury of two shepherds who sustained moderate injuries and were transferred to Kirkuk General Hospital for treatment."

The source speculated that "the foreign object may be from remnants of ISIS and the military operations conducted during the area's liberation."

Notably, ISIS deployed landmines and improvised explosive devices (IEDs) to defend territory and target civilians and military personnel during his control.

Efforts to clear landmines and ERW have been ongoing but challenging, with various international organizations engaged in clearance operations to mitigate the humanitarian impact, including casualties among civilians and hindrances to socio-economic development.

Hamed Ali, an explosives expert and retired officer, told Shafaq News, "Kirkuk, being close to the governorates in the Kurdistan Region, had explosives planted in locations by the former Iraqi army, which planted mines in the border strip between Kirkuk and the Region's cities. Additionally, ISIS left behind many war remnants that occasionally explode in the outskirts of Kirkuk."

He revealed that "the past three years have seen a decline in the number of injuries from explosive remnants in Kirkuk, especially after eliminating ISIS. Kirkuk recorded about 12 incidents due to explosive remnants, the lowest number compared to the days of ISIS when Kirkuk annually recorded about 30 explosions, resulting in civilian casualties."

"ISIS planted along the line between Kirkuk and its controlled areas, deliberately laying mines to prevent civilians from leaving those areas towards regions under federal government control, such as Kirkuk."

"Kirkuk, like other governorates, suffered its share of mines, although not to the extent seen in cities bordering Iran like Wasit, Diyala, Basra, Maysan, and others in the Kurdistan and elsewhere."

"These areas witnessed extensive mine planting aimed at targeting the armies of both sides. However, this time, attention is drawn to governorates like Kirkuk, Nineveh, Diyala, al-Anbar, and Saladin."

A report by the international organization "Humanity and Inclusion," concerned with providing safety for the affected worldwide, revealed that Iraqis 8,500,000 are living amidst dangerous and deadly areas containing explosive remnants of war and IEDs.

The international organization stated in its report that the cost of clearing mines from some areas, especially those containing rubble like Mosul, is six times higher than the cost of mine clearance in flat areas. This requires Iraq to allocate approximately 180 million dollars annually.