Minister of Environment asserts “Iraq floats on a sea of mines”

Baghdad (NINA) – Minister of Environment, Sargoun Lazar Silo, asserted that Iraq floats on a sea of mines, calling for combining all entrusted sides’ efforts to eliminate the impact of mines and unexploded ordnance.

In a ceremony, held on the anniversary of the World Day for Mine Risk Education present by Civil Defense Manager and a number of Ministry of Environment officials, Silo said “Iraq joined the OTO Agreement on 2007 to minimize the dangers of mines and ordnance. The ceremony is part of the World Day which was named by the UN on 2005 as a day to educate on the dangers of environment.”

“South and middle of Iraq are most affected parts of the mines. There are psychological and economic dangers in addition to physical dangers caused by the uncontrolled ordnance,” he went on saying.

“Supposedly, Iraq should be mines-free on 2015, but, the shortage in capabilities made the impact of the mines continue till 2020,” Technical Environment Undersecretary, Kamal Hussein, told NINA.