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MAG's work in Iraq significantly reduces the threat to both resident and transient populations from remnants of conflict, and supports rehabilitation and socio-economic development. |
The problem
More than 30 years of conflict and unrest in Iraq has ensured the presence of landmines, unexploded ordnance (UXO) and other conventional weapons is massively widespread.
These remnants of conflict cause continued devastation to communities – both through the physical danger they pose and by preventing access to land, development of infrastructure and threatening the fragile security of the whole region.
The contamination has multiple sources: the Iraq–Iran war of the 1980s, internal conflicts between rival religious and political parties, and the large-scale conflicts in 1991 and 2003.
During the bloody war with Iran, vast minefields were laid along the borders with Syria, Turkey, Iran and Saudi Arabia, as well as along military positions within the country.
Later, the internal ‘Green Line’ that separated the Kurdish region from areas under the control of the Ba’ath Government was heavily mined along the former military positions prior to the 2003 conflict. Abandoned arms caches, air strikes and ground engagements during the 2003 conflict then led to even more contamination.
Your donation to MAG helps us to move into current and former conflict zones to clear the remnants of conflict, enabling recovery and assisting the development of affected populations.
How MAG is helping
MAG currently implements operations in the five northern governorates of Iraq, including Dohuk, Sulimaniyah, Kirkuk, Ninawa (Mosul), and Diyala.
Forty teams and more than 625 national staff are conducting demarcation, minefield clearance, Battle Area Clearance, conventional weapons management and disposal, Community Liaison, Mine Risk Education and Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALW) Risk Education.
MAG also works in partnership with national organisations in
other areas of Iraq where activities can’t be self implemented
for security reasons. MAG’s work with national partners
increases the outreach of operations and contribute to building
national capacities
See these pages for information on MAG's latest work in Iraq:
Beneficiaries
By removing abandoned SALW, mines and UXO caches, and delivering Risk Education to communities, MAG Iraq reduces the threat to the lives and limbs of the population.
Moreover, since 1992 land cleared by MAG in Iraq has been used to: build new roads, schools, hospitals and entire villages; pave the way for thousands of farmers to work in safety; facilitate access to vital trade routes and has significantly contributed to the wider security efforts.
Our programme in Iraq also contributes to attempts to improve infrastructure and development in the country, such as by clearing land to make way for plans to build airports, hotels for tourists and telecoms infrastructure.
We work closely with national and regional authorities, and the United Nations, to ensure we support efforts to integrate mine action into development strategies and regional and national priorities, and our work has the maximum impact on the local communities we serve.
MAG is committed to the training and capacity building of its staff and implementing partners.
Find out more
- AlertNet country profile: Iraq [external site]
- BBC country profile: Iraq [external site]
- Landmine & Cluster Munition Monitor 2010: Iraq [external site]
- US Conventional Weapons Destruction Program in Iraq [external site]
MAG is not responsible for the content of external sites.
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Our thanks to the donors to MAG's Iraq programme: Office of Weapons Removal and Abatement, US Department of State; German Government; The US Army Night Vision and Electronic Sensors Directorate; Irish Aid; Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Government of the Netherlands; Stichting Vluchteling; Government of Belgium; SIDA (Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency).
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