Mine event in Erbil, Khabat area, Iraq on Mon 18th September 2023

In the Khabat district of Erbil province, a chilling discovery was made on Monday. An unexploded Katyusha rocket was found, having landed perilously near a school. Despite the situation’s inherent danger, there were no reported casualties or damages, preserving the community’s safety. The origin of the rocket is still the subject of ongoing investigation. Preliminary information suggests that it was launched by either Iran-backed militias or the Islamic State (ISIS) militants. This incident underscores the persistent security threats in the region and the need for unceasing vigilance against potential acts of aggression. A Glimpse into the Security Landscape in Erbil Erbil province has been a frequent target of violent incidents. Recently, a drone exploded in the outskirts of Iraq’s Erbil, injuring three people and causing damage to several cars. The explosive drone detonated on Pirmam road at 9:35 p.m. Iraq time. There was no immediate claim of responsibility. While a security source had earlier suggested a drone attack targeting the U.S. consulate, further details were not provided. Last month, artillery fire from Iran’s Revolutionary Guards hit an area north of Erbil, targeting what Iranian state television described as terrorist bases. Furthermore, in March, the Guards attacked the capital of the Kurdish region with a dozen ballistic missiles in an assault that seemed to target the United States and its allies. At least three other attacks have targeted oil refineries in Erbil since the March attack, but no group has claimed responsibility for them. Unexploded Ordnances: A Global Concern Unexploded ordnances pose a significant threat not just in Erbil province, but worldwide. In Cambodia, a high school was forced to close after the discovery of some 2,000 unexploded devices dating back to the civil war era. Students were advised to stay away until the clean-up was complete, a process expected to take two days. The country’s eight-year civil war ended in 1975, but the aftermath continues to plague Cambodia. Yemen, nine years into a brutal civil war, has one of the world’s highest rates of contamination with landmines and other deadly explosives, as warned by the International Committee of the Red Cross. Similarly, in Afghanistan, children make up about 85% of the casualties due to unexploded ordnance, as reported by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF). The Importance of Vigilance and Education The persistent threat of unexploded ordnances across the globe underscores the importance of vigilance and education. In Iraq, schoolchildren are taught to identify explosives in an attempt to clear areas from anti-tank mines, anti-personnel mines, and other types of explosives. This illustrates the importance of awareness and education in mitigating the risk posed by these deadly remnants of war. Efforts are also underway to clear areas contaminated with mines and other unexploded materials. For instance, in the Kurdistan Autonomous Region, the Iraqi Kurdistan Mine Action Agency’s demining team commences their day with the sun’s rays, combing the hills for landmines. They work in inhospitable weather and hilly terrain, clearing around 35 to 40 meters a day. The area was heavily mined during the decades-old Iraq-Kurdistan conflict, leaving a lethal legacy that today’s demining teams are working hard to remove.