Al-Anbar clears 1.5K+ unexploded ordnance since start of 2026

Shafaq News- Al-Anbar

Civil Defense teams in western Iraq's Al-Anbar province have removed 1,593 unexploded munitions since January 1, 2026, Mohammed Tariq, media officer for the provincial Civil Defense Directorate, told Shafaq News on Friday.

Iraqi Army's Field Engineering Battalion, Tariq noted, had destroyed 897 explosive remnants under approved technical and security procedures, while clearance operations continue in coordination with relevant agencies.

Speaking to Shafaq News, mine action and explosives specialist Mohammed Ali said removing war remnants remains essential in areas affected by previous military operations, warning that buried explosives can remain active for decades and continue to endanger residents, farmers, shepherds, and reconstruction workers.

“Completing the cleanup would help restore farmland, support the return of displaced families, and facilitate reconstruction,” Ali added, calling for continued field inspections, specialized equipment, and broader public awareness campaigns encouraging residents to avoid suspicious objects and immediately notify the authorities.

Iraq remains among the world's most heavily contaminated countries with explosive remnants of war. The United Nations Mine Action Service (UNMAS) estimates that about 2,733 square kilometers of land remain contaminated following successive conflicts, including the Iran-Iraq War, the 1991 Gulf War, post-2003 violence, and the campaign against ISIS.

Official figures show that more than 30,000 people have been killed or injured by landmines and unexploded ordnance in Iraq since 2003.

Read more: Floods unearth Iraq’s hidden mines, reviving a wartime threat