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Scoop
3 days ago
- Politics
- Scoop
‘It Is An Elephant': Ukraine's Unexploded Mine Problem
5 June 2025 These are the results of the ammunition from last nights' attacks, or at least from the munitions which exploded. At a briefing in New York, Paul Heslop, the UN Mine Action Service (UNMAS) advisor in Ukraine, described the impact of the unexploded ordnances which have contaminated large swaths of land in the country. 'Contaminated land is not just dangerous. It is lost hope, recovery and livelihood,' he said. Since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, this contamination has spread throughout the territory, making it impossible for residents to return home and farmers to cultivate crops. Children are often among the most vulnerable to unexploded ordinances. UNMAS and its partners on the ground are working diligently to comb over this land and declare it safe for returning residents and agricultural cultivation. Massive contamination, 'real and perceived' Millions of mines and unexploded ordinances are currently scattered throughout Ukraine. This makes it the most heavily contaminated country since the end of the Second World War, said Mr. Heslop. UNMAS estimates that over 20 per cent of land — or 139,000 square kilometres — in Ukraine is contaminated by mines or unexploded ordnances. Over six million people live in or around contaminated areas and over 800 casualties due to unexploded ordinances have been documented. This is the real contamination. But Mr. Heslop noted that for every one square kilometre which is actually contaminated, there are 100 which are not. However, that does not mean that residents feel they can safely return to the land. This is the 'perceived contamination' of unexploded ordinances. UNMAS is working to identify which of the 139,000 square kilometres of potentially contaminated land is safe. 35,000 square kilometres declared safe Two years ago, UNMAS estimated that 174,000 square kilometres in Ukraine were contaminated. Since then, 35,000 square kilometres have been declared safe, enabling residents to go back to their communities. The process of demining contaminated land — either by removing unexploded ordnances or by scanning an area to declare it safe — is especially important for families reliant upon agriculture. Since the start of the war, Ukraine's agricultural sector has suffered $83.9 billion in losses, due in part to large swaths of agricultural land being contaminated with unexploded ordnances. The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has supported over 250,000 families through various programmes, including vouchers and seed distribution. They have also worked closely with UNMAS to clear agricultural land and return it to use. 'Real progress' UNMAS and its partners also have worked, over the last few years, to develop a system for demining which maximizes efficiency. 'Demining is an inherently inefficient process,' Mr. Helsop said. After all, the most thorough option for demining is also the most time-consuming and expensive — having a person walk the land with a detector. UNMAS alongside two dozen Ukrainian Government entities, have been working to implement satellite and artificial intelligence technology to make demining more time and cost effective. 'What we need to do is make sure the investment that is being made today …continues to deliver results and [is] enhanced moving forward,' he said. The problem as an 'elephant' Mr. Helsop compared demining in Ukraine to an elephant, calling upon humanitarian agencies and donors to think about this large problem comprehensively. He said that demining efforts are still being hampered by a lack of cohesion among groups on the ground, and by funding and personnel shortages. Donors have already committed $1 billion to fund demining efforts in Ukraine, but he said that the entire project would cost many billions. He also reiterated the necessity of doing it, not only for the people in Ukraine whose livelihoods have been disrupted by contaminated land, but also for the world which has witnessed increased food and energy costs as a result of decreased agricultural production in the country. 'We know how to do it… but we need the resources to do it and it's going to be a slow and potentially dangerous process,' he said. 'But if we get it right, we will bring down global food and energy prices.'
Shafaq News
01-05-2025
- Politics
- Shafaq News
Spoiled by the coil: Iraq's mines battles take their toll
Shafaq News/ In a remote village near the Iranian border in Maysan province, 14-year-old Qusay Salman and his older brother, Hussein, were simply on an errand to fetch water. But with one step, Qusay's life was tragically cut short when he triggered a hidden landmine. The explosion took him instantly, while Hussein was left with a shattered leg. Their story is just one of many in Iraq, where an estimated 25 million landmines and unexploded remnants of war (ERWs) still lie buried beneath the earth, silently claiming lives. Across the country, these deadly relics from past conflicts continue to inflict a toll on the innocent, making the land a silent battleground long after the guns have fallen silent. A Deadly Map Iraq is home to one of the world's most deadly and expansive minefields. Over 2,100 square kilometers of land remain tainted by landmines, cluster munitions, and improvised explosive devices (IEDs), posing an ongoing threat to civilians and hindering the country's efforts to recover and rebuild. The spread of these deadly remnants traces the scars of Iraq's turbulent past, with each region carrying the marks of a different conflict. In the south, the consequences of the Iran–Iraq War still haunt the landscape. During the 1980s, the Iraqi military planted thousands of mines, primarily Soviet-made TM-46 and PMN models, across Basra, Maysan, and Wasit in an attempt to block Iranian forces. Decades later, much of this land remains unsafe. In Basra alone, over 1,200 square kilometers are still contaminated, with some areas, like the Shatt al-Arab district, remaining un-surveyed since the 1990s. This leaves local communities at constant risk, their daily lives shaped by the threat of hidden explosives beneath their feet. As we move inland, the story shifts to the aftermath of the 2003 US-led invasion and the insurgency that followed. The use of IEDs by insurgent groups became widespread across al-Anbar, Saladin, and Baghdad, creating unmarked minefields throughout urban and rural areas. In Fallujah, where families are slowly returning after years of displacement, many discover their homes rigged with explosives buried in walls, floors, and furniture. The impact is staggering; according to the United Nations Mine Action Service (UNMAS), nearly 16% of al-Anbar's farmland remains off-limits due to contamination, crippling both agriculture and reconstruction efforts. The North tells a different, even more complex story. Between 2014 and 2017, as ISIS took control of Nineveh and Sinjar, the group left behind a trail of destruction, rigging homes, roads, and fields with mines and booby traps. In Mosul, the remnants are so dense that clearance teams have reported up to 8,000 explosive hazards per square kilometer, one of the highest concentrations in the world. In the Kurdistan Region, cross-border airstrikes from Turkiye and Iran regularly scatter unexploded ordnance (UXOs) in areas like Al-Amediya, Sidakan, and Qandil, complicating already the difficult clearance efforts and adding to the peril that local communities face. Rebar Mahmoud, head of operations at the Iraqi Kurdistan Mine Action Agency (IKMAA), describes the task of clearing these explosive remnants as a multi-layered challenge. 'We're dealing with at least four layers of contamination,' he explains. 'It's like peeling back time; from Saddam's wars, to the American occupation, ISIS, and now the airstrikes. Each era has left its own signature of destruction.' A Generation at Risk Since 2004, Iraq's Ministry of Health has documented at least 14,835 civilian casualties from explosive remnants, with over 5,000 fatalities. Yet, experts from organizations like the Geneva International Centre for Humanitarian Demining (GICHD) and the Iraqi Civil Society Initiative (ICSI) caution that these numbers may only scratch the surface. They estimate that the true toll could be closer to 20,000, a reflection of the significant underreporting in remote and tribal areas, where access remains limited. The impact of this crisis is striking, especially when examining recent data. In just the first quarter of 2024, 16 children were harmed by unexploded ordnance. Tragically, this trend mirrors the previous year, which saw 38 child fatalities and 47 injuries from the same cause. Shockingly, minors under the age of 18 account for 41% of all casualties. These young victims endure injuries ranging from amputations and severe burns to deep lacerations and other life-altering wounds. Yet the true cost goes far beyond the physical. For many, the psychological trauma runs deeper, leaving invisible scars that linger long after the blast. Rami, a 12-year-old survivor from Mosul, spoke of the ongoing terror that shadows his every step, "I can't sleep without hearing the explosion in my head. I wake up in the middle of the night, scared that I'll step on another mine." For Rami, the memories of fear and pain are ever-present, a reminder that even after the immediate threat is gone, the emotional scars remain. The psychological toll is compounded by Iraq's severe shortage of mental health services. The country's infrastructure for psychological care remains underdeveloped, leaving many survivors to cope with their trauma in isolation. "We try to help them, but there aren't enough resources," explained Dr. Hanan al-Majed, a mental health specialist in Mosul. "The children are the most affected, and we don't have enough therapists to handle the demand." With so few mental health professionals available, countless survivors never receive the support they so desperately need, leaving their wounds, both physical and emotional, untreated Fragile Progress More than two decades after the fall of Saddam Hussein, Iraq's efforts to clear these deadly remnants are in jeopardy. Since 2003, Iraq has partnered with international demining organizations like the United Nations Mine Action Service (UNMAS), Mines Advisory Group (MAG), Danish Demining Group, and Norwegian People's Aid. Together, they've cleared over 3,200 square kilometers of land and destroyed more than 2.3 million explosive devices. These accomplishments have helped communities rebuild, roads reopen, and farmland spring back to life. However, the tide has begun to turn. UNMAS Iraq's 2024 Mid-Year Review shows that clearance operations have dropped by 38% since 2020. This decline is driven by deepening political tensions, shrinking international funding, and, more critically, a breakdown in coordination that threatens to unravel years of progress. In late 2023, a crucial cooperation agreement between the Iraqi government and the United Nations quietly expired following a breakdown in budget talks. This deadlock has brought joint operations to a halt. Iraqi officials blame UNMAS for a lack of transparency in awarding contracts to local demining firms, while UN agencies point to Baghdad's bureaucratic delays and ongoing funding issues. 'This wasn't just a misunderstanding, it was a breakdown of trust,' confirmed a UN source familiar with the talks. Without a shared framework, we've had to suspend joint clearance missions in Nineveh, Diyala, and Maysan indefinitely', he added. The consequences of this rift have been swift and far-reaching. Eleven major projects, including the Mosul Old City Urban Recovery Corridor, have been suspended. More than 420 local deminers have lost their jobs, and nearly 850,000 square meters of high-risk land set for clearance in 2025 now face indefinite delays. While Iraq's own demining agencies continue their work, they are stretched thin. The National Mine Action Authority (NMAA) and the Kurdistan Mine Action Agency (IKMAA) are struggling with limited resources. For example, IKMAA has only 18 teams to cover five provinces—an overwhelming task given the scale of contamination. 'The gap left by UNMAS is a chasm,' said Ola Almohor, former Country Director of UNMAS Iraq. 'Without renewed collaboration, Iraq will not meet its Ottawa Treaty target, not in 2030, not in 2040.' Iraq signed the Ottawa Treaty in 1997, committing to eliminate anti-personnel mines and clear all contaminated land by 2025. That deadline was quietly extended to 2030, but even that target now feels out of reach. Efforts to restore cooperation are underway. A new government committee in Baghdad is reviewing Iraq's strategy with the UN, hoping to resolve the issues and restart stalled projects. But with time running out, each passing day adds to the burden, and families continue to live in fear. Their Scars Tell a Story While national and international bodies face mounting challenges, on the ground, Iraqis are finding their own ways to fight back against the hidden threat beneath their soil. Rather than remain passive victims, communities across the country are taking action, organizing, and using innovative solutions to confront the deadly legacy of landmines. In al-Amara, the capital of Maysan province, Wadi for Peace, a local NGO, is at the forefront of this movement. The organization trains villagers and shepherds to identify explosives, safely report dangers, and take swift action when needed. In 2023 alone, their mobile reporting system recorded over 1,400 alerts, leading to 600 confirmed landmine clearances by the Iraqi Demining and Mine Action Center (DMA). 'We can't wait for the government or the UN,' said Ali Khazal, director of Wadi for Peace. 'People have to be their own first responders.' This call for self-reliance is echoed in Kirkuk, where a group of landmine survivors has turned their suffering into a force for awareness and change. In 2022, they founded Tigers Without Borders, Iraq's first football team made up entirely of landmine victims. The team travels to schools and camps to spread the word about the dangers of unexploded ordnance. Captain Hayder Salih, who lost his legs to a landmine while serving as a Peshmerga fighter, summed up their mission with these words, stating, 'We kick with prosthetics, but we carry a message. We are more than our wounds; we are the voice of those still waiting for help.'
Japan Times
08-04-2025
- Politics
- Japan Times
Pivot by some countries toward landmine use appalls experts
Moves by five NATO countries to quit a treaty banning the use of landmines have experts worried, ahead of a Geneva meeting aiming to boost efforts on ridding the world of the explosive ordnance. The decisions announced by Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia and Finland over the past three weeks are "a dangerous setback for the protection of civilians in armed conflict," the International Committee of the Red Cross said. The first four countries said in a March 18 joint statement that "Russia's aggression" — evinced by its all-out invasion of Ukraine — forced them to start moves to pull out of the 1997 Ottawa Treaty aimed at eliminating anti-personnel landmines. Finland followed suit last week with a similar announcement. The steps come ahead of a three-day meeting starting Wednesday in Geneva organised by the U.N. Mine Action Service (UNMAS) and the Geneva International Centre for Humanitarian Demining (GICHD). Tobias Privitelli, head of the GICHD, admitted to reporters that the meeting would take place in a "challenging environment." Progress made over decades in ridding the world of landmines was at risk, he said. UNMAS's head of policy and advocacy, James Staples, said nearly 60 countries or territories, from Ukraine to Myanmar to Sudan and Syria, are affected by explosive ordinance, and "millions of people suffer from their impact on a daily basis." Adding to the headwinds faced by their two organizations was U.S. funding cuts to foreign aid. While the United States is not among the 160 signatories of the Ottawa Treaty, it had been the single biggest national funder of mine action. Washington had been providing over $300 million a year, or around 40% of total international support, according to the 2024 Landmine Monitor. "The funding that they have provided ... has undoubtedly saved lives and made a difference to hundreds of thousands," Staples said. While some short-term waivers have been granted to some programmes, the International Campaign to Ban Landmines (ICBL) cautioned that long-term funding was uncertain, with thousands of trained deminers currently sidelined. In the three decades of the treaty's existence, the number of people killed or maimed by landmines went from 25,000 to below 5,800 in 2023, and millions of landmines destroyed worldwide, according to the Landmine Monitor. Staples said that, when other types of explosive remnants of war, like cluster munitions and IEDs (improvised explosive devices), were factored in, the number of casualties reached around 15,000 in 2023. The vast majority of victims of explosive ordnance — 85% — are civilians, and more than half of them are children, Privitelli noted. He said that, in many territories, the threat of landmines lingers for decades after the end of a conflict, posing a persistent hidden threat.
Zawya
07-04-2025
- Politics
- Zawya
Mine Awareness Day: Demining goal within reach but fears of conflict reversing progress
The decades of brutal civil war that ravaged South Sudan left behind a terrible legacy of land littered by landmines, cluster munitions, and unexploded ordnances. Since 2004, more than 5,000 people have been killed by explosions from these devices. However, significant strides have been made to tackle this deadly threat, with the United Nations Mine Action Service in South Sudan (UNMAS) destroying more than 1.2 million unexploded ordnances, releasing over 1,300 square kilometers of land, and clearing more than 4,000 kilometers of roads in the past two decades. While this achievement was commemorated when South Sudan marked International Mine Awareness Day, recent political tensions and escalating conflict made several speakers caution the country's leaders against undoing the progress made. 'Let's learn how to stay safe and how to be reasonable about our future, because if we don't stay safe, the future is not predictable,' said Agot Alier, a UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) Young Reporter. While he may have been primarily addressing fellow children, nobody could misunderstand his message: Do the right thing today to make our shared tomorrow better. For that to happen, Zehrudin Sukanovic, Chief of the UN Mine Action Service (UNMAS) in South Sudan, an integral part of the UN peacekeeping mission in the country, pledged to continue to live by the motto 'challenge the challenges' which has served the demining sector well. 'We remained resilient and unified and kept working together towards a shared vision of peace, safety, and stability,' Mr. Sukanovic said, referring to how UNMAS, the National Mine Action Authority and other stakeholders confronted the setbacks caused by the civil wars in 2013 and 2016. Through a collective effort, these partners have cleared 15,000 agricultural areas, 344 schools, 316 water points and 437 health clinics, making it possible for communities across the country to resume farming and trade, and for thousands of girls and boys to safely attend school. 'The goal is within reach. South Sudan is committed to its international obligations and other treaties to declare our country mine-free by 2030,' affirmed Jurkuch Barach Jurkuch, Chairperson of the National Mine Action Authority. With 'just' 22 square kilometers of land known to be contaminated by mines and other explosives left to be cleared, the task may seem easier than it actually is, with current insecurity and financial issues clouding the horizon. ''Safe futures start here' is more than a slogan – it's a call to action. Our collective responsibility is to ensure that mine action remains a priority. Each mine cleared and each piece of land made safe is a step toward peace,' said Anita Kiki Gbeho, Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Humanitarian/Resident Coordinator, who also stressed the need for sustained funding and political commitment to the cause. With the activities of both peacekeepers and humanitarian actors often depending on the removal of explosive remnants of war, there are multiple reasons to share the sentiments expressed by UNMAS chief, Zehruddin Sukanovic. 'I sincerely hope that 2025 will represent a solid step forward rather than yet another obstacle in our ongoing journey to secure a safer space and future for the people of South Sudan.' Distributed by APO Group on behalf of United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS).
Iraqi News
06-04-2025
- General
- Iraqi News
Iraq: Mines/ERW killed or injured 314+ children in 5 years, UN reports
Baghdad ( – In a statement released on April 4th, International Day for Mine Awareness, UNICEF emphasized that landmines and explosive remnants of war (ERW) remain a grave threat to people in Iraq, especially children. Over the previous five years, these terrible risks have killed or harmed at least 314 youngsters, according to official UN reports that the group referenced. The threat is widespread; concerning estimates suggest that more than 2,700 square kilometers of Iraqi territory are still poisoned. In addition to endangering lives on a daily basis, this pervasive contamination seriously impedes economic development, restricts access to education and essential livelihoods, and—most importantly—prevents hundreds of displaced families from safely returning to their hometowns, thereby obstructing efforts at national stability and reconstruction. Every child has the right to a safe and stable childhood, free from the threat of mines and ERW,' said Sandra Lattouf, representatives of UNICEF in Iraq. Beyond only causing physical injury, she underlined, these hidden threats deny children the opportunity to play, learn, and develop in a safe setting. UNMAS Iraq Programme Manager Pehr Lodhammar stated that pollution is still a significant barrier to progress and reaffirmed UNMAS's dedication to helping the Iraqi government and the Directorate of Mine Action (DMA) remove land for rebuilding and safe return. UNICEF and UNMAS jointly called on the Iraqi government to take immediate action to improve protection for people, particularly children, from ERW hazards in observance of Mine Awareness Day. In order to provide Iraqi children a better, more secure future, they reiterated their unwavering commitment to cooperating to speed up mine clearing operations, increase risk education initiatives, and fortify preventative measures.
