The General Directorate of Mine Affairs in Erbil announced on Tuesday that during the first six months of 2025, significant progress was made in mine clearance operations across Erbil Governorate and the Autonomous Administration of Soran.

A total of 962 anti-personnel mines, two anti-tank mines, and 22,760 items of unexploded ordnance were safely cleared.

Additionally, one improvised explosive device (IED) was removed, and four minefields were fully cleared.

The total area cleared during this period amounted to 399,424 square meters, enhancing safety for residents and enabling future development in previously contaminated areas.

Furthermore, five civilians were killed and four others were injured due to mine-related incidents during this period.

Awareness teams visited 59 villages and distributed mine warnings and personal safety guidance to 4,336 people. They also distributed educational items over the safety risks of mines.

The Kurdistan Region of Iraq has been littered with mines and IEDs since the Iran-Iraq War in the 1980s, with the number of such explosives growing during the Gulf War in 1991, the U.S. liberation of Iraq in 2003. Additionally, the rise of ISIS in 2014 led to the contamination of civilian areas with IEDs and explosives.