52 children were killed and 73 were maimed by explosive remnants of war (ERW) and unexploded ordnance in Iraq over the past year.
“Four children have died – three boys and one girl – and two children have been maimed over the last week, as a result of incidents related to explosive ordnances in two locations in Iraq”, the UNICEF has revealed.
Sheema Sen Gupta, UNICEF Representative in Iraq, said that “this is not an isolated loss of children’s lives.”
Stronger concerted efforts are needed to reduce the increasing impact of these explosives, especially on boys, as the number of children casualties grew 67 per cent compared to 2020 (79 children for that year, including 61 boys), she added.
ERW continues to be a primary reason for civilian casualties in Iraq, with children being especially vulnerable – their smaller size makes them more likely to receive the full impact of the blast, making it even more lethal.
