United Nations Radio

Two United Nations agencies are concerned that Iraq won't be able to meet its obligations under a treaty banning anti personnel land mines.

In a joint report released on Wednesday, the UN Children's Fund and the UN Development Programme notes that Iraq is contaminated by around 20 million landmines and over two and a half million cluster bomblets.

The report says under the Ottawa Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Treaty, Iraq must clear all areas containing or suspected of containing anti-personnel mines before February 2018.

Iraq's signature of the Mine Ban Treaty came into force in February 2008, and since then approximately 20 square kilometers have been cleared by national and international organizations.

In addition, more than a quarter of a million people have received mine awareness training through UNICEF supported activities.

Citing the report, UNICEF spokesperson in Iraq Ban El-Daeea says since 2003 almost 8,000 people have been maimed or killed by mines.

"Two thousand of them are children under 18 years of age. There is also around one million Iraqi children at risk of being injured or killed by those mines since they live in those contaminated areas."

By acceding to the Ottawa treaty, Iraq has committed to never again use, produce, acquire or export anti-personnel mines and to destroy stockpiled mines in four years and clear minefields in ten years.

Diane Bailey, United Nations.
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