US envoy: Over 8,000 explosive items cleared from Iraq since 2019

The US has removed more than 8,500 explosive items from more than 29 million square metres ofland throughout Iraq since 2019, the American envoy to Baghdad said.

In a post on her Twitter account to mark the UN’s International Day for Mine Awareness, Alina Romanowski said the day provides an opportunity to reflect on the progress and challenges that remain in clearing landmines and ordnance.

Today is the UN’s International Day for Mine Awareness, which provides an opportunity to reflect on the progress & challenges that remain in clearing landmines and ordnance. Since 2019, US has cleared 8,500+ explosive items from over 29 million sq. meters of land across #Iraq.

— Ambassador Alina L. Romanowski (@USAmbIraq) April 4, 2023

For his part, the head of the National Wisdom Movement, Ammar Al-Hakim, called on the Iraqi government to remove obstacles to ending the file of war remnants.

“On the International Day for Mine Action, we urge the government and its concerned formations to harness all efforts and solve the problems of funding and human support and remove obstacles to ending the file of war remnants including mines and others that claim the lives of innocent  people…especially in the eastern border areas of Iraq and areas liberated from the ISIS [Daesh] terrorist group” Al-Hakim said in a statement.

READ: US drone strike on Syria kills Daesh commander who planned attacks in Europe