Child killed by landmine in Garmian, Kurdistan

Shafaq News/ On Tuesday, a seven-year-old child, Hamrin Yadigar, was killed by a landmine explosion while playing in the village of Haji Awadi in the Kifri district, Garmian, Iraqi Kurdistan, a local source reported.

According to the source, emergency services swiftly reached the scene to secure the area and commence an investigation into the explosion’s circumstances.

In the Kurdistan Region, decades of conflict have left behind a legacy of landmines and unexploded ordnance. Official statistics from the Ministry of Interior confirm that rural districts face recurring landmine incidents each year, with many casualties reported—often affecting children and families.

The country remains one of the most heavily mined in the world, a grim remnant of prolonged conflict and instability. Thousands of landmines and improvised explosive devices still lie hidden in former conflict zones such as Diyala, Nineveh, and al-Anbar.

In 2024, the General Directorate for Mine Action in Kurdistan announced the clearance of about three million square meters of land.