Baku, Azerbaijan, Nov. 15
By Fatih Karimov – Trend:
An Iranian border guard was killed in a landmine explosion near Baneh city in Iranian western province of Kurdistan.
The guard, serving in a subdivision of Law Enforcement Force of Islamic Republic of Iran, reportedly stepped on a landmine remaining from Iran-Iraq war (1980-1988) near the post close to the border of Iraq, Iran’s media outlets reported.
Another Iranian officer, serving in the border regiment was injured in the explosion.
Iran is one of the countries in the world with the most unexploded landmines, which kill and injure dozens of people every year.
According to the International Campaign to Ban Landmines, there were 46 deaths and 76 injuries from landmines in Iran in 2012. Seven of the casualties were children.
Land areas in Iranian provinces of Ilam (1,700 hectares), Khuzestan (1.3 million hectares), Kermanshah (691,000 hectares), Western Azerbaijan (59,000 hectares) and Kurdistan (1,480 hectares) were mined during the war.
It was assumed that after the war around 16 million mines could still remain in these areas.