The Iran-Iraq war in the 1980s, attacks against Kurdish forces in 1991 and heavy fighting in 2003 all left the border village of Byara - a sub-district of Halabja in the southwest of Sulimaniyah governorate - contaminated by landmines, unexploded ordnance (UXO) and small arms and light weapons (SALW).
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The house in Byara used for weapons storage. |
At the request of residents, MAG visited Byara and, after liaising with the community, identified and then destroyed 58 items, including mortars, shells and hand grenades.
Further investigations identified two areas of high prioritisation – a cellar of a house once used as a weapons storage area by insurgents, and a school used by the same organisation as a military position.
MAG successfully cleared both areas and destroyed the hazardous items.
Due to the high level of contamination in the area, the number of individuals directly benefiting from these operations in Byara is estimated to be as high as 5,500.
The former Iraqi army established a military position in Byara here during the Iran-Iraq war. Many landmines were laid and heavy fighting led to further contamination from UXO and SALW.
The area suffered further in 1991 as the Iraqi military continued to use the base to launch attacks against the Peshmerga (Kurdish Forces) in Sulimaniyah. And, in 2003, coalition forces launched air strikes on the area in an attempt to flush out insurgents who were reported to have set up base in the region.
MAG's work in Iraq is currently funded by: Office of Weapons Removal and Abatement, US Department of State; Irish Aid; Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Government of the Netherlands; Sida (Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency).
26 September 08
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