Buried Wars: Landmines Shatter Iraq’s Childhood Dreams
On the International Day Mine Awareness, the focus is not limited to figures or the contaminated areas alone. Rather, it is a renewed appeal to reflect on the deep humanitarian impact of these risks. Weapon contamination may remain buried beneath the ground, but it continues to destroy lives above it, leaving its mark on daily life, in the memories of individuals, and in the future of children, families, and communities.
Official figures in Iraq indicate that since 2003, landmines and unexploded ordnance have led to more than 30,000 casualties among men, women, and children. However, this issue goes beyond figures. Behind every figure is a life that has been completely changed or abruptly ended . Behind every injury lies a long story of pain, daily challenges, and an arduous attempt to regain even a small part of what once normal life.
The story of Sirwan Nabi clearly illustrates this reality. He was sixteen years old when he went out, as he usually did, to herd sheep near his home in Sidakan in northern Iraq. In an area he knew well, he noticed a small yellow object lying in the sand. Out of curiosity, he approached it and touched it, so it exploded on his hand. In a single moment, his life shifted from a simple daily routine, helping his family and trying to continue his studies, to a new reality dominated by pain, medical treatment, and the difficult process of adapting to the loss of his right arm.
In Iraq, weapon contamination remains a serious humanitarian concern and a major obstacle to recovery. It is not merely a legacy of past wars; it is also a result of recent conflicts, including improvised landmines and other explosive hazards left behind in the previously affected areas. Iraq is considered one of the most heavily contaminated countries in the world with landmines and explosive remnants of war. According to estimates from local authorities in Iraq, explosive ordnance contamination covers an area exceeding six billion square meters, more than half of which has already been cleared. Despite this progress, the impact of contamination remains deeply present in people’s lives. Thousands of individuals continue to live and work in heavily contaminated areas across the country.
As for Sirwan, the consequences of the incident did not end with the injury itself. The loss of his right hand, which he relied on for writing and studying, was lost, making his return to school a daily challenge. He had to learn how to write with his left hand, overcome academic delays and rebuild his confidence step by step. Although he later received a prosthetic arm and continued his attempts to pursue his education, his experience clearly shows that landmines and explosive remnants of war do not only take limbs, but they can also deprive individuals of education, part of childhood, and a normal sense of safety. Landmines also hinder educational and economic opportunities, restrict access to vital resources such as farmland and water, and leave deep psychological impacts on individuals and families.
Children on the Frontline of the Risk
The story of Sirwan is not merely an individual incident; it reflects a reality experienced by many people in Iraq, particularly in rural and border areas. It serves as a reminder that weapon contamination does not belong only to the past, but it also shapes the present and the future, influencing everyday decisions: where children can play, where families can graze their livestock, which paths are safe to take, and which land is accessible. Children are among the most vulnerable to this risk. By nature, they are drawn to unfamiliar or shiny objects, often without realizing the threat they may conceal, just as Sirwan did. In contaminated environments, a single moment of curiosity can be enough to change the course of an entire life.
Landmine-related incidents continue to be recorded every month, many of them resulting in injuries and loss of life. At the beginning of 2025, three students tragically lost their lives due to explosive remnants of war in the Abu Al-Khasib district of Basra in southern Iraq. In January 2023, a picnic to Bekhal area turned into a tragedy for Darawan Khidr Ali when he stepped on a concealed landmine, causing severe injuries that ultimately led to the amputation of his right leg below the knee. Darawan, who is from the city of Rawanduz in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, said:
“Since that day, I have not been able to go hiking or camping again.” He added, “I hope to recover and regain the life I once had. Summer is very difficult for me, but I am still here, and I am still trying.” The incident did not just change Darawan’s body, it also took away the work and independence he once enjoyed.
Nature itself can sometimes exacerbate this crisis. Floods and heavy rains may wash landmines away from their original locations, particularly in mountainous areas and carry them closer to civilian communities. This increases the level of danger and makes the threat even more unpredictable.
In the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, recent heavy rainfall has moved some landmines from their original positions, increasing the risks faced by civilians, especially when going to natural areas or while gathering spring herbs.
Awareness: An Ongoing Necessity
In the face of this ongoing danger, the International Committee of the Red Cross plays an important role in reducing the risks posed by weapon contamination in Iraq, not only by responding to its consequences, but also through preventive and life-saving awareness activities. In this context, the organization implements a risk education programme on explosive ordnance, targeting the most affected population by weapon contamination in order to help them better understand these dangers and reduce their exposure to them.
The programme focuses on reaching affected communities, particularly children, as they are among the most vulnerable groups. For this reason, the International Committee of the Red Cross conducts awareness activities in schools and local communities in areas of Iraq previously affected by conflict, with the aim of promoting safer behaviour, avoiding suspicious objects, and staying away from dangerous areas. The organization also provides materials to help clearly mark hazardous areas, contributing to alerting residents and warning them not to approach contaminated locations. In addition, radio stations are also used to broadcast awareness messages and safe behaviour guidance to communities, particularly in areas where social media and other digital platforms may not be widely accessible.
On the International Day for Mine Awareness, what matters most may not be recalling the numbers, but pausing to reflect on what this issue truly means from a human perspective: how a small object buried in the ground can change a child’s future, reshape the life of an entire family, and remain an obstacle to recovery for years. Despite the ongoing health challenges he faces, Darawan still holds on to hope. Today, he shares his story to warn others: “Our mountains are still contaminated with hidden landmines left behind by past wars. The absence of warning signs does not mean the area is safe. Please be careful!” The dangers buried beneath the ground continue to leave their mark on life above it.
ICRC in Iraq
Present in Iraq since the Iraq-Iran war in 1980, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) focuses on addressing the consequences of armed conflicts and other situations of violence across the country. As large-scale military operations are over, more attention has been given to transfer of knowledge, recovery and reconstruction efforts, with many people across Iraq still in need of some form of humanitarian assistance and support.
