Landmine led to victimize 27 people in Kurdistan during 2019 + Names list

Hengaw: The explosion of unexploded landmines from 8 years Iran-Iraq war remains still victims in Kurdistan.

According to the registered statistics by statistics center of Hengaw Organization for Human Rights,  during 2019, at least 27 citizens in borders areas of Kurdistan have been victimized as a result of unexploded landmines from 8 years Iran-Iraq war that shows an decreasing rate of 52 percent compared to the year of 2018.

Of the total number of 27 victimized people, 4 were killed and the other 23 people have been wounded or disabled.

One of them who has been killed and two of them who have been wounded due to explosion of landmines, were underage children.

Division of victims by province

During the last year, the largest number of landmines casualties has  been registered in the border areas of Kurdistan province that are 10 cases which one of them has been killed.

Kurdistan province: 10 casualties including 1 killed and 9 wounded

Ilam province: 7 casualties including one killed and 6 wounded

West Azarbayejan province: 3 casualties including 3 wounded

Kermanshah province: 7 casualties including two killed and 5 wounded

Division of landmines victims by social class

Most of the landmines victims in Kurdistan during the last year were from working class so as during the time 18 Kolbers, drivers, shepherds and workers have been victimized.

Moreover 2 civilians and 7 soldiers were among the victims.

Although landmines have not considered as absolute prohibition in international customary law, but some restrictions have been laid down to minimize their impact.  For example,  the conflicting parts had to Keep the minefield maps or in the end, clear the battlefields to protect the civilians.

The Ottawa Convention has obliged governments to refrain from producing, stockpiling and transferring anti-personnel mines in this case, which unfortunately the Islamic republic of Iran has not been acceded to this convention in spite of having so many victims by landmines.

According to a research conducted by the Red Cross to develop customary rules governing humanitarian law, several restrictions were defined in the rules numbers of 81,82, and 83 in the case of landmines.

- Care must be taken when using in order to reduce human casualties

- The party using the mine must register the place of its placement

- At the end of active hostilities, the user party must facilitate its clearance

However,  both the Iranian and Iraqi parties refrain from exercising their obligations under customary international law.

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