Cleanup Operations Carried In Over 4m Hectares Of Mine-infested Areas

Tehran, July 23, IRNA – Over four million hectares of land have been cleared from various types of land mines and unexploded ordnance remaining from Iraq-imposed war on Iran 1980-1988, Commander of de-mining unit Brigadier General Mohammad-Hossein Mirahmadi said on Monday. The mines and unexploded ordnance were unearthed in the provinces of Khuzestan, Ilam, Kermanshah, Kordestan and West Azarbaijan, he said. Forces from army, IRGC, Basij (voluntary) forces and ordinary people cooperated to handle the grave task, he said. Over 1,500,000 mines and 350,000 unexploded ordnance have been collected in those provinces, he said. He said that the clean-up operation has lessened number of casualties to a large degree. Some 47 people have been martyred and 117 received serious injuries during de-mining operation in the mine-infested areas, he said. He advised people residing in the border areas to exercise vigilance and report to the military forces as soon as they see explosives or suspicious objects./end