Demining teams clear explosives in northern Duhok district

DUHOK, Iraq — Demining teams are continuing clearance operations in the Amadiya district in northern Duhok province, a local official said. Rikar Bisfeki, the media officer for the region's mine and war remnants clearance directorate, said two teams have been working in the Bamerne sub-district of Amadiya on an area of roughly 120,000 square meters. Bisfeki said the teams have so far cleared about 20,000 square meters of mines and explosives. Nine BLU-63 bombs and one RPG rocket were found during the search and safely disposed of, according to Bisfeki. Bisfeki described the area as one of the most heavily mined in the region, saying unexploded ordnance poses a serious threat to villagers, farmers and herders. He noted that large tracts of farmland and grazing land have remained unusable for years because of mines and other remnants of war. Local resident Ahmed Ali said residents have been unable to take their livestock to mined areas and expressed hope that clearance operations would be expanded to cover all mine-affected zones. No further details were immediately available.