Iran-Iraq War mines shift with floods in Iraq's Maysan, district official warns

BAGHDAD, Iraq — The East Rutra district east of Maysan city center remains heavily contaminated by mines and unexploded ordnance left over from the Iran-Iraq War, district mayor Raid Shamil said. Minefields along the border strip stretch several kilometers in depth and range, and precise maps documenting the location of all mines do not exist, he added. Shamil said flooding from higher ground during the winter months has displaced some mines, carrying them dozens of kilometers from their original positions and increasing the ongoing danger to local residents. Since the war ended in 1988, the district has recorded deaths and injuries from mine blasts, including one fatality in April, according to the mayor. He estimated the total number of victims in the dozens, noting that the mayor's office does not maintain exact statistics. Some international humanitarian organizations began demining work after 2003, but Shamil said limited resources have cleared only a small fraction of the contaminated area. Vast tracts of land in the district remain mined, restricting farmers and herders from reaching productive farmland and complicating projects in areas with tourism potential. Warning signs have been placed across the region, though flooding and weather conditions have destroyed some markers or shifted the mines themselves, he added. The mayor called for comprehensive survey and clearance operations to address the problem. No further details on planned operations were immediately available.