The challenge of explosive contamination in Iraq

How has Iraq’s history of conflicts contributed to explosive contamination?

Iraq’s history of conflicts – the Iran-Iraq War (1980–1988), the Gulf War (1990–1991), the 2003 invasion, and the war against ISIS – has left the country heavily contaminated with explosive remnants. Cluster bombs, landmines, improvised explosive devices, and chemical weapons have contaminated the land, water and air, posing long-term threats. Many areas remain littered with unexploded ordnance causing civilian casualties, especially among children. Depleted uranium munitions have also contributed to environmental and health risks and the contamination of agricultural land and infrastructure projects is hindering economic recovery.

Clearance efforts face major challenges in Iraq. Mine clearance is a slow process due to the massive amounts of contamination and security concerns. Awareness programmes are run to educate civilians on avoiding explosive hazards, and victim assistance programmes provide medical and psychological support to those affected. However, long-term efforts and global cooperation are required to address the issue fully.

What are the main geographic areas contaminated in Iraq?

Several regions remain heavily contaminated by explosives due to past wars and conflicts. The Iraq-Iran border is one of the most affected areas, as the Iran-Iraq War (1980–1988) left behind large numbers of landmines and other unexploded ordnance. In central and northern Iraq, the provinces of Kirkuk, Salah ad-Din, Nineveh, Diyala and Anbar were severely impacted by the conflict with ISIS (2014–2018) when improvised explosive devices, landmines and other explosive weapons were used extensively.

These explosive remnants of war pose a constant threat, endangering civilians – particularly farmers and displaced families returning to their homes and hindering reconstruction.

What types of location are contaminated?

In Iraq, explosives have contaminated many areas, making daily life dangerous. Border regions, especially along the Iraq-Iran border, are riddled with landmines from past wars.

Cities like Mosul and Fallujah harbour unexploded bombs and explosives in buildings. Farms in Nineveh, Kirkuk, Anbar, Salah el Dine and Diyala are unsafe due to buried landmines, preventing farmers from working their land.

For example, in Salah ad-Din Governorate, where HI has been active since May 2023, the clearance teams have already achieved:

• 2,186,919 sqm of land was released.
• 1,730 IEDs neutralized.
• 1,044 UXOs and other explosive ordnances destroyed.

Across the country, roads and highways are littered with hidden landmines and bombs, making travel risky. Old battlefields, military bases, oil fields and pipelines are also contaminated with landmines and improvised explosive devices. Schools and public buildings in former war zones remain unsafe due to hidden explosives.

These threats continue to endanger civilians and impede Iraq’s recovery.

What types of explosive weapon is HI clearing in Iraq?

HI is clearing a range of explosive devices threatening Iraqi communities, including landmines, projectiles, aircraft bombs and submunitions. There are also large numbers of improvised explosive devices throughout the country.

To address these threats, HI currently has two multitask teams in action, with a total of 14 deminers working to clear explosives and make these areas safe for civilians.

In 2024 alone, 1,207,855 square meters of land has been released, 1,118 improvised explosive devices (IEDs) have been neutralized, and 115 unexploded ordnance (UXOs) and other explosive ordnance (EO) have been rendered safe. These efforts are crucial in securing land for civilians and enabling reconstruction efforts across affected areas.

Clearance organisations like HI are playing a crucial role in mitigating explosive devices deadly impact.

How does explosive contamination affect the environment and public health in Iraq?

Explosive remnants of war and improvised explosive devices pose serious threats to human health, but also to the environment. Buried explosives pollute the soil and threaten wildlife. Toxic chemicals from munitions, including white phosphorus, depleted uranium and aluminium powder seep into the soil and water, reducing fertility and contaminating drinking sources. IEDs, often made with harmful industrial chemicals, leave behind toxic residues that further pollute the environment.

This contamination disrupts agriculture and food chains and harms biodiversity. For local communities, long-term exposure to these substances increases the risk of respiratory diseases, cancers, and neurological disorders for generations to come.

What are the main challenges involved in clearing explosive devices in Iraq?

The biggest challenges are the ongoing security risk, particularly in areas still controlled by terrorist groups such as ISIS, and the vast scale of contamination, which it could take decades to clear.

Limited resources and a lack of funding are hindering progress in work that is already slow, as it requires specialised expertise. Meanwhile many civilians living in contaminated areas are unaware of the dangers.

Overcoming these challenges will requires long-term engagement and international support.