Mine Directorate Warns Explosives Displaced by Heavy Rain
CISR
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(rudaw) Recent heavy rains in Sulaimani have potentially dislodged landmines, posing a renewed threat to cleared areas. Muhsin Sheikh Abdulkarim, head of Sulaimani’s mine affairs, emphasized the dangers, with floods carrying explosives to previously cleared zones. The torrential downpour in Kurdistan Region last week caused flooding, claiming three lives in Duhok. Abdulkarim urged caution, advising against approaching riverbanks in mountainous areas suspected of contamination.
Signs of danger include bones, barbed wires, and forests without pathways. Landmines from the Iraq-Iran war still haunt the region, with over 13,000 casualties since the 1990s. The area has seen recent casualties, including border guards. Despite ongoing clearance efforts, flash floods remain a recurrent hazard, causing deaths and extensive damage in recent years.